


The Spy Who Burned Me

by MisterStalker, tiny_freakin_head



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: (mostly), ASL, Accidental Voyeurism, Aftercare, Alcohol, Almost Vomiting, American Sign Language, Anal, Anal Sex, Bad Communication, Biting, Blackmail, Bondage, Burns, Cauterization, Classic team mention, Crying, Depression, Developing Relationship, Distrust, Espionage, Fingering, Fire play, Frottage, Fucking Machine, Hickeys, HoH Soldier, Hurt feelings, Hurt/Comfort, Isolation, Jealousy, Kidnapping, M/M, Masochism, Masturbation, Misgendering, Multi, Non-Binary Pyro, Oral Sex, Other, PIV Sex, PTSD, PTSD flashback, Paranoia, Phantom pain, Platonic Soulmates, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prosthetics, Rope Bondage, Scars, Starvation, Surgery, Tattoos, Threesome, Tinnitus, Trauma, Unmasked Pyro, Wrestling, asylum mention, bad poly etiquette, being really unhappy in rope bondage, blindfold, branding mention, consensual voyeurism, disabled Engineer, disabled Pyro, disabled Soldier, disabled Spy, gunslinger, holding down, masturbation in front of someone, match play, mentioned heavy/medic, non-sexual soulmates, past disabling injury, pyrophilia, queerplatonic, really awkward and terrible sex, revealed lies, sex toy, synesthesia as pyrovision, talk of gender, they pronouns, torture mention, trapped in burning building, trauma mention, unmasked Spy, weight loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2019-06-11 12:19:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 41
Words: 108,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15315357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisterStalker/pseuds/MisterStalker, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiny_freakin_head/pseuds/tiny_freakin_head
Summary: Paper art by MisterStalkerWatercolours and markers by Tiny-Freakin-HeadSketches by Wireskull***Spies always take an interest in Engineers, and Engineers always rebuff them. Pyros always take an interest in Spies and Spies never let themselves get caught.But when it's an opportunity to be caught between Pyro and Engineer, Spy might consider it.





	1. Sparks

 

The Engineer was aware of the distant voices of his team mates as he walked to his room. He could not tell the voices apart at this distance. It seemed every member of the team was loud and crass. And most of all they were dangerous. Dell spent the last few years of his life at college, perfecting his family skill of engineering. But every mercenary here seemed to spend the last decades becoming vicious killing machines.

He grunted quietly, "Machines..." They were certainly not like machines. Machines were beautiful and perfect by design. These men were chaos.

Walking just behind him, Pyro hoped their presence would calm Dell down a little. He wasn't happy, Pyro could tell. He muttered something about machines and Pyro wondered if he was planning blueprints in his head again. Maybe they could let their mind wander a bit too.

The voices down the hall were interesting, all kinds of different colours. They washed over their vision like the iridescent shine of gasoline, all the different colours mixing together into nonsense. They liked it so far, though they knew the closer they got the louder it would be and they weren't sure what the colours would do then.

They spoke through the filter of their mask, the words nearly incomprehensible, except to their friend. "You ok?"

Dell nodded and forced a friendly chuckle, "We're a long way from Bee Cave, Firebug." He looked back at his friend and companion to read their expression. But there was no expression visible through the gas mask.

He wondered if the Pyro was as nervous as him around these mercenaries. He wondered if he needed to be strong and brave while they settled in to comfort the Pyro. Or maybe this is one of the times that the Pyro is unfazed by the danger around them.

Dell stopped at a door with a wrench label, "This must be it... Home sweet home..." He unlocked the door and peered in and was not impressed. It was small and spartan. He felt better about his decision to sleep near his machines. "Alright Pyro, let's grab that bed and move it to the garage!" He hurried in to grab the foot of the bed and lift it.

Pyro nodded. They were a long way from their home, but they would make this a home. They were together. They'd done the same when Dell had gone to college. This was hardly any different. Except here Pyro was encouraged to use fire, whereas they had had to be careful before.

They were still adjusting to the uniform and the full mask. Before they had mostly worn a respirator, but this mask obscured their vision somewhat, and made hearing a little more difficult too. Plus it was sweaty. They knew they'd adjust. It wasn't the first time they'd worn a mask like this, but it was going to be difficult to wear it so often. They weren't sure they wanted anyone to see their face here. They were just glad Dell had shaved their head earlier so their wild hair wouldn't get in the way of the mask.

Pyro followed, grabbing the front of the bed and lifting. Awkwardly, they shuffled the bed out into the hallway and down towards the workshop. Pyro wasn't planning to go to their own room. They'd stay with Dell. There was nothing in their room that called to them except for the fiery sign on the door. They might pry that off later.

When they were in the garage, and he could hear the beep of a loaded sentry, and the quiet hum of machines, Dell relaxed. The Engineer collapsed into his bed and adjusted his goggles to sit on his forehead. "This is better."

He was more comfortable sharing his thoughts, knowing they were alone now. "Those men, they're wild. I can't help but feel I'm in the wrong place. These people, they're..." He didn't want to say they scared him. He wasn't sure he was scared, just cautious. "They're dangerous."

Pyro sat on the bed next to Dell, pulling off their mask and putting it on the pillow. Their speech was difficult enough to understand without the mask, but not much easier without it. They were lucky Dell had a lot of practice figuring out what they were saying. Immediately they replaced the mask with a respirator that covered their nose and mouth. They were only without some kind of mask for a few seconds at a time if they could help it. They ran a hand over their buzzed sweaty red hair with a groan.

"We're dangerous too," Pyro reminded Dell. "They're not so bad. Just loud. They make a lot of nice colours." It was strange but the college students and the men Dell occasionally brought home had intimidated them more than this pack of mercenaries. These men just reminded them of the Classic team, and what had amounted to their family.

Dell took a deep calming breath and was glad for the Pyro's company. The bizarre perspective complemented his own. "Yeah, we're dangerous too, aren't we." He smiled lazily, "What do you think of them? Colours and all."

He knew the Pyro did not suffer but instead enjoyed synesthesia. Sounds became colours and speech became something beautiful to see- as the Engineer understood it.

They had only briefly passed by their teammates so Pyro's impression of them was pretty limited. They tended to assume the best of people.

"They're nice." Pyro’s voice, unhindered by the mask, was still a muddle, difficult to understand, especially as they spoke at a normal pace. Their voice also had an uncomfortable rasp to it, from all the damage they’d done to their lungs over the years with smoke and chemicals.

They couldn't put classes to all the men yet, some of them hadn’t been wearing a uniform, but they were pretty sure they'd recognized a few of the symbols that had been worn. "The Medic asked a lot of questions. Some of the team are very pretty. One wore a mask, like me.” Him in particular Pyro had thought was pretty. “But the loudest one -the Soldier?- hurt my ears."

Even through their mask, the Soldier's yelling was grating. It came out all kinds of terrible colours, muddy orange and sickly green. The rest of their voices were nice colours. Except the Sniper's, they hadn't heard him speak a single word.

The Engineer pulled the Pyro into his arms to squeeze them tightly, chuckling as he did. "Yeah, that Medic asks some interesting questions." He pet a wide and calloused hand over the shaved red-haired scalp and glanced briefly at the terrible scars Pyro hid behind a mask until now. "You think he's safe? If you have to show him your face, I mean." It would happen eventually.

Engineer planned to help the Pyro hide their face and body as long as they wanted. Especially against nosey men like the Scout, or truly invasive men like the Spy. But the Medic would need to see the Pyro without the mask or the suit, so he could only hope his friend didn't fear the doctor.

Pyro squeezed Dell back affectionately. They were a little nervous to show the Medic their scars, but if they needed, they could ask Dell to come with them. And they were supposed to trust the team here. To be family. They'd have to open up eventually.

For now, however, they covered their disfiguring scars with a respirator -one that only covered the half of their lower face.

"I don’t know if I trust him, but he has to know, right? And you could come with me," Pyro suggested. They flopped over against the pillow. They'd need to clean their mask but they didn't want to do it now. They had a week to settle in before battle, and Pyro was looking forward to tinkering with the flamethrower they'd been issued and practicing with it on the field.

The Engineer let the Pyro find their own space on the bed. "How about you stay here with me tonight. We have enough room on the bed to share." He was sure the Pyro would agree.

They were rarely apart from one another for very long. If the Pyro ever did become independent, it would be here at Teufort, but Dell hoped for the close company a little longer. "Maybe tomorrow we can move your equipment in here. There's enough room in the garage for us both to work. Until we find our comfort zone around these parts."

Pyro nodded eagerly. It was strange to sleep without Dell at this point, they were used to having someone in bed with them, snoring and pulling them close in his sleep. Hopefully Dell would forget the idea that Pyro should go to their own room.

It would be nice to share space in the workshop too. There was a lot of space. And ever since their accident, Pyro felt better tinkering with someone around. Just in case. Plus, they liked helping Dell with his projects.

"You're not going to be able to get rid of me." Pyro stripped off their uniform, laying it over the back of a chair with the boots tucked underneath. They hastily ran a cloth over the inside of their mask, then left that on the chair too. Stripping down to nothing but their respirator, they slid into bed, waiting for Dell to join them.

"I'm not getting rid of you. I'm just reminding you, it ain't gonna hurt my feelings if you need your own space.” The Engineer didn't mind going to bed in his overalls. He somehow felt more prepared to fight an enemy if he wasn’t wearing pajamas. But if the Pyro was properly ready for bed then he could do the same.

He kicked off his boots and removed the layers of his clothes while he spoke with his slow Texan drawl. "You have your own fancy mercenary job, your own slick uniform. It's natural you might get tired of sharing everything with little ol’ me." He said it all with a smile. Although he was always sure to encourage the Pyro, he knew his friend would never truly leave. Wearing only boxers, the Engineer turned off the lights and climbed into the bed with Pyro to wrap the blankets around them and settle in for the night.

Pyro shrugged, scratching at some of their burn scars. They liked having someone around, they didn't like being alone. If they had fire it was alright for a little while but staying inside alone, where they couldn’t burn things? Boring. Bad. Lonely.

Pyro rested their head against Engineer's shoulder, closing their eyes. They were excited for tomorrow, but also tired from travelling and seeing new people. It was good to be safely wrapped up in their best friend's arms.

***

The RED Spy sat at his escritoire, with dossiers and photographs, but was unable to focus on them. Every nerve was prickling under his skin and his sinking thoughts threatened to drag him down.

It was that damn Soldier, he blamed. The screaming and demanding was hard to listen to on its own. But for Spy, it was the sound of war, and some of the worst memories from war.

He forced his eyes to focus and saw the papers on his desk. But it was impossible to read them with the noise in his head and the persistent prickling under his skin. His plan to fight off the memories with a distraction was a failure. The Spy knew he wouldn't sleep well tonight, and if he slept he feared there would be nightmares.

He was almost desperate enough to seek out Medic for something to ease the pain. But he knew it was in his mind. He could seek out the Demoman to drink until he was properly numb. But then he risked truly losing control over himself.

Spy spent his first night in Teufort alone.


	2. Strike

[](http://s1182.photobucket.com/user/carrionboy/media/Pyrovision.jpg.html)

After a few days trapped indoors, so close together, all of the mercenaries were becoming agitated. Personalities like Soldier, Scout, and Demo were never meant to be crowded into a building with more quiet types. And personalities like Sniper, Pyro, and of course Spy, were never meant to be caged in.

When the gates finally opened to allow them to examine the battlefield it was an irresistible opportunity to everyone to get away from the walls.

The Soldier tested his rocket jumps. The Sniper looked for appropriate hidden nests. And the Spy studied his teammates behaviors on the field. As he spied, he discovered some of Engineer's work.

Engineer was just as glad as the others to get out onto the field and do some real work. Test out the placement of his machines, make sure they were easily defended from enemies. He was feeling a little better about his teammates.

Pyro's playful assessment of the team might be overly optimistic, but it was comforting to Dell. Still, that didn't mean that he would be letting his guard entirely down around any of them. Especially not someone as devious as a Spy.

As soon as the teleporter in front of him began to turn, the RED Spy appeared on it. Composed and well dressed, a gloved hand tucked into his pocket and the other hand held a thin cigarette to his lips, he was the ideal image of a man of mystery.

"I'm a fan of your work, Conagher." He stated, looking down at the labourer on his knee pads.

He grunted, tightening a last bolt with his gloved hand and smiling as the sentry unfolded and began to beep.

"Thanks," he stood. It was likely the Spy knew him by his family history, Dell thought. Conaghers and Spies had a long history of hating and murdering each other.

" _De rien_." Spy answered.

He looked the Spy over subtly. He was thin, with a thin face. He looked tired, which Engineer hadn't expected. He expected the sort of man who was always put together. Maybe he wasn't used to sleeping on base yet.

Pyro had been excited that another mercenary wore a mask, but Spy's skin tight mask barely hid anything.

The Spy stepped off of the teleporter and followed the Engineer, at an appropriate distance, through the machines. "When I heard your father retired, I thought I would never have the honour to fight alongside a Conagher. Imagine my surprise to see you here."

Spy examined the dispenser innocently enough as he spoke. Engineer couldn't help but bristle a tiny bit. He was glad for his helmet, obscuring the sharp look he gave the man.

"I never knew he had a son. But then, your family is good at keeping secrets." Spy continued.

Dell chuckled. He hadn't thought of himself that way before, but it was true, the ranch was isolated and no strangers were allowed. He'd been born on the ranch and spent his life either there, on his father's bases, or at college. It would be easy enough for his existence to go unnoticed.

He stepped in front of Dell and leaned forward to meet his eyes, "I like secrets."

When the Spy circled in front of him, stopping him in his tracks, he realized the man had been trying to get a lot more of his attention than he'd been giving him.

At his words, Dell felt a little stunned. Was this man flirting with him? His first thought was to question how the Spy knew he was queer. Was it obvious? Or did he notice that the Engineer and the Pyro shared a bed? Even though it was platonic, the Spy wouldn't know that. A little colour rose in his cheeks.

"I'm guessing most spies like secrets," he played it off casually. What if he was just reading into it? But it was hard to imagine he was reading into that intense expression on Spy's face as they locked eyes.

Spy hummed, not disagreeing. But he added, " _Oui_ , but, I'm not like other spies."

"And how's that?" Engineer asked. He was intensely curious about this man now.

But under his curiosity was caution. It was entirely possible the man was flirting with him to gain access to some real secrets. Or to gather blackmail if Dell flirted back. He'd have to be careful no matter what happened. Dell pulled his hard hat off and ran his calloused hand over his buzzed hair, a little nervous tic.

"You will have to get to know me." The Spy tossed his finished cigarette onto the ground and let the embers burn on the desert ground. "With a nice cognac in my smoking room perhaps?"

Engineer frowned a little, replacing his hard hat back on his head. This was an intense offer. It sounded like a date. He wanted to get to know his teammate a little more casually than that.

Maybe most of all he wanted to see the Spy in battle.

"I-" he started, before Pyro came around the corner, practically squirming with excitement. They clearly loved their new flamethrower. The roar of the liquid fire made even more colours than the one Pyro had built themself.

Dell smiled to hear the almost unintelligible words expressing how excited they were.

Spy glanced over his shoulder when Engineer looked past him. When he saw the Pyro he immediately bristled. His smile disappeared and he turned to face the masked mercenary, clearly on guard.

They circled around the nest of machines, before hopping up on top of the dispenser to sit and watch the spy and engineer. They were very curious about Spy. They suspected that because he wore a mask, like them, he could be hiding things, like them. But who could guess what secrets a professional shape-shifter and face-changer hid behind a mask?

As much as Spy liked to hide his own secrets, the Pyro's secrets only unnerved the Frenchman.

He knew nothing about the Pyro. He didn't know their age, or nationality, or sex. He didn't know where he came from, or why he was never far from the Engineer. He wasn’t even sure the mumbling words he tried to decipher were English.

"I don't think so. Not... not yet anyway," Engineer finally answered. He tried to dull the rejection with a future offer. "Give me some time to settle in." And to see how trustworthy his handsome teammate was.

Spy stared a bit longer at the utterly unreadable mystery in a latex mask. Pyro unnerved all of their teammates but Engineer. Spy hoped he still appeared calm and in control of himself, even as cold sweat gathered under the collar of his shirt.

When his eyes flicked to Dell he nodded, "Of course. Make yourself comfortable.” His flirtatious tone was numbed by caution. He glanced at the Pyro again and disappeared, footsteps in the sand marking his exit.

Pyro wondered what exactly Spy was looking for when he watched them. They didn't know anything about Spy, but his voice left the impression of a deep liquid red, like ripples on the surface of a glass of wine. It was a nice colour and Pyro was glad they could see it clearly now that no one else was trying to talk over the Spy.  
  
More than that, Pyro was pleased to see Engineer talking to another teammate. Dell had been hesitant to spend time with the other men and Pyro didn't want him to always shut himself away in his workshop. They knew Dell really did like people, once he was comfortable with them.

"Is he flirting with you?" Pyro asked amused, when they were sure they were alone. This was definitely not the first time they'd seen someone flirt with Dell, but they hadn't expected it here.

The Engineer shrugged, chuckling. "Yep, I think so. Heck of a surprise to me."

"He's pretty."

Engineer laughed softly, shifting one of his machines just slightly for a better angle. Pyro rarely used the word handsome to describe people, but luckily Spy couldn’t be offended about it, since no one could understand Pyro but Dell.

***

Pyro considered a few different tools before settling on their fire axe. It would work nicely to remove that pretty sign with the red fire symbol. They were determined that they'd put it up on the wall over where Engineer had given them workshop space. Heading down the hall with an axe over their shoulder, they began something that was like humming or wordless singing as they went. Reaching their door, they began to take an axe to the wood around the sign, still singing.

Each crunch of the wood under the axe blade shot electric blue through their vision.

Spy heard the muffled voice through the optical mask before he saw Pyro and immediately pressed flat to a wall and touched his gun in its holster. When he recognised the voice was humming some friendly tune he realised it was his own RED Pyro, but he didn't fully relax.

The enemy Pyro was a certain threat to Spy, but the ally Pyro was equally frightening. Any Pyro was frightening, truly. They all loved and adored the fires they used as weapons, more than even Heavy loved his minigun. But this Pyro showed such sweet joy and happiness in terrible situations. It always reminded Spy for the Classic Pyro who smiled so sweetly while peeling her victim’s skin.

The Spy peered around the corner and watched the Pyro walking with a happy bounce, a musical voice, and an axe. The Spy followed them. He let the Pyro get ahead and then hurried along to hide in a doorway or behind stacked boxes where Spy pressed flat and listened to the foot falls down the hall.

He was almost ready to turn the corner again when he heard wood splintering and cracking open. He peered around the corner then to watch the mercenary destroy a door. In fact, Pyro's own door, if the Spy remembered correctly.

The pleasant humming continued, never interrupted by the crushed door and splintering wood.

Spy left his hiding place cautiously and stood fully in the hall without cover. He was unnoticed- he was nothing compared to whatever made this door so interesting. So he watched.

He wondered if there was a reason behind the madness. Spy couldn't see a purpose yet. This was random violence, the same as the rest of the team might destroy things without explanation. But when the other men broke things they were rowdy and angry. The Pyro seemed peacefully giddy, if that singing tone meant anything.

Pyro hacked a large circle around the sign, so completely involved that they didn't notice Spy, or Engineer.

Engineer had come out of his workshop after realizing that Pyro was nowhere to be seen. Following the sound of singing and the thunk of an axe, he soon found his friend. He shook his head when he saw what the Pyro was doing, but it didn't really surprise him much.

He spotted Spy watching Pyro curiously and Engineer felt a little chill. What if Spy told the Administrator? That woman had far more than cameras at her disposal, she had spies, and she likely trusted their word. Would that be enough to get Pyro removed from the base?

"Hey there, Spy," Engineer stepped closer, ignoring the loud splintering sounds as Pyro destroyed the door.

Spy nodded to the Engineer without looking away from the Pyro. There were several metres between them, but he didn't trust turning his attention away from the axe-wielding mystery.

"Engineer, _bonjour_." When he was silent, the sound of cracking wood filled the air. "It appears our locks are useless against a pyro and an axe."

"They're not trying to get through it. They’re gettin’ after the fire emblem.” Engineer explained. He watched as Pyro pushed the broken piece of the door inwards so they could pull it out and start to remove the giant splinters and remnants of the door from their sign.

Spy raised an eyebrow as he noticed the pronoun 'they'. He would roll that idea around his mind later and wonder what it might mean.

"I'd uh, I would appreciate it if you didn't mention this to the Administrator," Engineer said.

"The Administrator? What do you mean by that?" Spy questioned, but not too innocently.

Dell's tone was straight forward. "I know that woman's got far more than just cameras and microphones around here. And if I were her, I'd have recruited you for the job."

The Spy was impressed with the Engineer. He didn't plan to hide that he informed the Administrator of events within the team, but he didn't expect anyone to know so soon. Spy was warned that the Conagher men were very clever. Seeing the youngest Conagher lay out the facts so easily made the European almost swoon.

Pyro was peeling the last of the splinters off their sign, sitting down so they could brace it against the floor. They were glad they were wearing their gloves to protect their hands from sharp and jagged wood.

"I know they're a bit odd, but they ain't gonna hurt anyone on the team."

"I won't say anything about this," Spy answered calmly.

Engineer felt a flood of relief. If Pyro left the team, they'd be separated for the first time in their lives. At this point, Engineer wasn't sure what Pyro would do without him. And vice versa. Engineer relied on Pyro's nearly unfailing optimism and their willingness to help. He couldn't imagine life without them.

"Thank you." Dell couldn't help a smile as Pyro finally peeled the last of the splinters off their emblem and headed back to the workshop, leaving the door in pieces on the floor. They were still singing. Engineer would have to remind them to sweep up their mess.

Spy considered following the Pyro again to learn why they wanted the sign. But with the Engineer watching him, it seemed to be a better decision to not do it.

Spy turned his attention to the shorter man, "Do you worry about all of your team members like this? Or is this one special to you?"

Dell was stumped at first as to how to answer. He wasn't sure how much he wanted the Spy to know. But at the same time, they were a team and he'd clearly already noticed his close relationship with Pyro.

"Pyro and I've known each other a long time," he said simply. That was all he needed to know for now. But questions filled the Spy's mind. Where does the Pyro come from? What was under that suit? What was behind that mask? What was the Pyro saying??

But the Texan made it clear he didn't like bold approaches. He tried something subtler: "How fortunate. It seems you work well together, it's lucky you know each other well. Hopefully I can get to know you also... Both of you."

Engineer nodded. He knew Spy was driven by curiosity, but he genuinely appreciated that he said he wanted to get to know Pyro. Wearing that suit and unable to communicate, it was easy for Pyro to become isolated. "We do work well together." he agreed. "And... It'd be nice for Pyro to open up to more people. They've been a bit shy since their accident."

"Accident?" The Spy repeated. Every detail that Dell shared only made the Spy more curious. The secrets were killing him. Of course, like any spy, he liked secrets. But he liked knowing secrets, not wondering at unsolved mysteries. "But not too terrible of an accident. It doesn't stop him- them from pyrotechnics." He gently coaxed, hoping for the Engineer to say more about the accident.

"Oh, no, nothing like that," Engineer suddenly felt he'd said too much. "Just what you'd expect for someone who works with accelerants and such, is all." That was vague enough to not have given away Pyro's secret. They were still working up to going to see Medic, and here he was spilling the secret to a Spy!

However, Spy was already correcting himself on Pyro’s pronouns, which was incredibly rare. It showed an interesting level of respect, and made Engineer appreciate the man even more. Normally people just went with whichever pronouns they assumed matched Pyro and Pyro didn’t correct them. And if Pyro didn’t, neither did Engineer.

"I'm sure I can't imagine it, what trouble pyromaniacs get into." Spy cursed silently, knowing Engineer's words were guarded again as he remembered who he was speaking to.

"No more than any other mercenary," Engineer said, thinking of his own gunslinger. Surely there were some other interesting scars on the team. Knowing what sort of work spies did -having dealt with enough of them trying to steal his family's designs- it was likely this Spy had his fair share of scars too. "I should get them to clean up this mess," he nodded towards the remains of the door. "I'll see you at dinner."

Engineer followed after Pyro, leaving Spy to contemplate the conversation and wonder at the unusual pronouns.


	3. Burning

 

The battles became more chaotic as both teams learned their strengths against their rivals.

The BLU spy made a nuisance of himself with Engineer's machines, destroying them every time Engineer was called away to fix something else or distracted by killing another enemy.

Pyro was a godsend against that challenge. With great swathes of fire, they could find the Spy even when he was invisible. And even better, they were having the time of their life.

It didn't escape Engineer's notice, that Pyro started to imitate his team mates. They had always liked mimicking people’s habits. They once only hummed with appreciation of fire but now, as fire consumed buildings and people, they laughed as loudly and brashly as the Heavy firing his minigun.

It frightened most of the men. They didn't know Pyro like the Engineer did.

RED Pyro watched the enemy Pyro as he grabbed a discarded length of chain and wrapped it tightly around the door handles of a rickety wooden building, securing it with a lock left at the end of the chain. Then came the roar of the flamethrower as the BLU lit the building up. The RED Pyro took off after him, chasing him away with their axe before realizing that there was someone locked inside the now very much on fire building. They could see his voice streaming out in yellows. One of their team, the Sniper. They squeezed the handle of their axe, determined to get their teammate out.

Smoke was coming through the gaps between the wood and glowing red embers were floating through the air. The door was an inferno and the fire was spreading inside.

Fire was the worst way to die, Sniper thought. And he would rather avoid it whenever he was lucky enough.

He kicked the door, shouting "Oi! Any one of you wankers want to let me out?" The bottom of his boot hit hard on the wood and shook loose more embers every time he kicked. "Anyone hear me?!"

The doors thudded toward him and he stepped back. They thudded again, hard. The third time, the head of an axe broke through. Sniper saw the featureless black mask of the Pyro. The red suit didn't matter, the Pyro was a vision of horror now.

Sniper backed up and kept shouting, "Heavy! Medic! Demoman! Any of you buggers out there? I'm bloody fucked and looking for help!"

Engineer turned at the sound of the yelling Sniper and the whack of the fire axe against wood. Sniper could clearly see Pyro through the door by now, but he was panicked. Pyro was scaring him.

After a quick glance around at his machines, Engineer jogged over. "It's alright, Firebug, I've got it," he had to raise his voice to be heard over the fire and the sounds of battle.

Pyro nodded, stepping back to give Engineer room.

The whole door was in flames now, and he fought the urge to recoil, fear rising up in him -but that didn't deter Engineer from grabbing the red-hot chain around the door with his gunslinger. The glove began to melt in the heat, running down over the warm metal of his hand and arm. The lock itself was stubborn and old and he couldn't get it off fast enough using just one hand.

Finally, he just ripped the handles right off the door with the chain still attached, pulling the door open by the hole Pyro had made with their axe. He stepped away from the fire, breathing a little easier now that he wasn’t so near the blaze.

 _I’m safe, I’m not trapped, I’m ok._ Dell repeated in his thoughts. Even the familiar mantra didn’t completely ease the fear that made his heart pound.

Sniper shielded his face from the hot gusts of air as the door broke away. But when he saw his team's Engineer standing beside his Pyro, he rushed out of the smoky room into the cool air. After gulping fresh air, he slapped at the burning embers making holes in his clothes.

"Bloody hell, mate. I thought I was done." He took off his hat to fan himself. "Thanks. Both of you." He felt silly now for being so afraid of the RED Pyro. "You're alright... Did you see where that bloody BLU went?"

Pyro pointed towards the enemy Pyro as the Sniper asked for the right direction. In their vision, there was a rainbow radiating outwards from where they were burning REDs. The enemy flamethrower gave off a rainbow, just as their own did, but it made different shapes, more like spraying water than Pyro’s own bubbling waves of colour.

Engineer gave Sniper's shoulder a pat as he passed, and Pyro gave him a thumbs up, one of the few gestures they were sure their teammates could understand with their mask and gloves on.

Dell looked down at his melted glove with a grimace when he was sure they was alone. All the glove material was gone now, in a puddle in the dirt by the door. At least it wasn't gunking up the delicate machinery.

Well, today was as good a day as any to reveal the gunslinger to his team. Since he had no choice.

"C'mon, Firebug," Engineer tilted his head, turning back to his nest of machines.

 

***

 

The RED Spy watched on from his hiding place. The BLU Pyro had been close behind him and he was lucky to lose him- even though the Sniper suffered for it.

He only stayed to catch his breath and let his cloak regain its charge, but he was glad he waited, after what he saw.

Spy watched Engineer reach into the fire with a work glove and come away with a bionic hand.

The work glove was useless against fires, Spy was certain of that. But when Dell did not even flinch, Spy was suspicious. The material burned and melted away and Dell's grip only became stronger. As the burned glove fell away, Spy understood why. Extending from Dell's right elbow was a metal arm and hand. It was sturdy and fearsome as much as it was delicate and detailed. It was definitely Dell's own creation. The style was like his signature.

Engineer was hiding secrets the Spy didn't even know to look for. Nothing had given Spy any clue that Dell had anything to hide.

Spy knew his curiosity would not be satisfied until he saw the hand close up.

 

***

 

Dinner with the team was a little awkward for Pyro. There was no way they were taking their mask off in front of the team yet. They took a plate of food anyway and toyed with it, mashing their food up slowly while everyone else ate. A few teammates exchanged glances, watching Pyro curiously to see if the mask would come off. It did not. The firestarter would take their plate back to the workshop to eat.

At least they got to watch the colours of their teammates voices.

Resting their head on one hand, they realized they'd been staring at Spy.

Beneath the mask, Pyro suddenly felt warmer. Spy was attractive, in a way that Pyro didn't usually find people attractive. They liked his voice and the colour it made. They liked the striking figure he cut in his uniform. And the mask made Pyro infinitely curious about what was behind it. Was Spy like them? Was he hiding?

Also, Spy liked Dell, which was a plus in Pyro's books.

They were starting to realize they were infatuated.

No one would know what they were saying if they told Engineer now, no one else could understand them, and they really didn't want to wait to tell him what they'd figured out.

"Dell," they turned to watch Engineer in case he decided to respond in sign language, "I think I like Spy."

Dell smiled and chuckled with a nod. He appreciated the Pyro's candid nature, that they never hesitated in saying someone was 'pretty' or expressing a like for something. "Heh, You sure do-" the Engineer hesitated then as he realized the Pyro didn't simply declare liking a teammate.

‘ _I think I like Spy_ ,' he repeated in his mind.

Half of the team was talking, so it was fairly safe to reply without fear of being heard.

The meaning of ‘like’ suddenly became more serious. "Hold on now. How so? You like him the same as you like flowers?" He named something innocent enough to compare him to.

Pyro tilted their head for a moment, then shook it. "The way you liked some of the men you knew." That was the best way Pyro knew how to describe it.

Pyro’s total sexual experience was just a single experimental night with Dell, before they had come to the conclusion that they just weren't interested in each other that way. They'd seen a few people they were attracted to before, but they’d never done anything about it. They’d joined Dell with a few of his partners, but they’d been involved in a non-sexual way. With Spy the entire situation seemed closer, more important. Maybe because they had to work together.

Engineer felt his cheeks turning red. He glanced at the other mercenaries but none of them seemed to understand what Pyro said. It felt scandalous to talk about his private life with men so publicly.

He loved Pyro’s very honest and candid nature. He loved that the fire starter never hid meaning behind implication. But Pyro could certainly make him blush when they chose to speak so honestly in front of other people.

He carefully looked at the Spy, but even he didn't seem to understand the Pyro.

"A little more than liking flowers and rainbows, huh,” he muttered. "You know their type is dangerous," Dell stated. "You can't trust them. All of that pretty voice and pretty face, it's nothing but a ruse to make you trust them." He said it almost on instinct. They were Radigan's words, and his father's words, and now his words, whenever someone was getting too familiar with spies.

But as he spoke, his eyes wandered. The stripes on the Spy’s suit were like lines on a 3D model graph, showing every contour. But on this figure it showed long nimble legs, an elegant posture, a tapered waist and slim shoulders.

Pyro watched as Dell's eyes wandered over Spy. Dell could see it too, he had to see it. If Spy was interested in Engineer, then maybe they could get involved too? Or maybe Pyro would be in the way, as they had been sometimes in the past with Dell's partners. Not everyone was willing to have Dell’s strange companion get involved.

“You think he's pretty too," Pyro sounded amused. As much as Dell protested that spies were dangerous, he wasn't like his predecessors. He was more trusting, more open. Pyro was glad. Neither of the older Conaghers had been terribly kind. "You're staring at him."

Dell forced himself to turn his head and look away. He cussed quietly, "Dang it. Yeah, he's-" he stopped himself before repeating the Pyro's words. No one noticed when the Pyro spoke frankly, muttering through the mask with slurred and indistinguishable words. "You're right. He is," he answered. "You, uh... planning to talk to him?" he asked.

It seemed difficult to imagine his friend pursuing anyone. They would need to find someone who could understand their garbled speech, or understand American sign language. Or at the very least interpret Pyro's colourful art for the meaning in it.

Pyro's expression beneath the mask was unhappy. Their thoughts were on the same track as Dell’s. How were they supposed to seduce someone with so few ways to communicate? Not to mention so little experience. Engineer wouldn't want to sit there and translate. No one here could understand them, and they were sure no one used ASL either.

They shook their head. They'd just appreciate him from a distance. They had a feeling if they approached Spy head on, Spy wouldn't like that. And Pyro wasn't sure how else to suggest something like that. They weren't really good at dancing around things or being subtle. They were honest, sometimes to the point of being blunt.

Although the mask hid all of the expressions behind it, Engineer understood the silence meant they were sobered by realistic thoughts. "Hey, there, Firebug." He dropped his fork and rested the gloved gunslinger on Pyro's hand. "I didn’t say it was a bad plan. Just that we ought to figure it out first. We figured out tougher puzzles than this, right?"

Pyro flipped their hand over and squeezed the gunslinger, enjoying the feel of it through their glove. "I think I lost my chance to try that," Pyro said, thinking vividly of the accident. Though the scars didn't bother them much, they knew they were ugly, and that most people did not want to look at them.

Sometimes they wished they'd been a little more adventurous when Dell was starting to explore with others at college, before their accident, but they hadn't wanted to then.

"Ah, shoot." Dell sighed. He hated what he was offering before he even said it. "I'll talk to him. I'll let him know he can come to the garage if he wants to talk to me." He took his hands back to sign, **“and if he does, I hope you're there with me!”** He felt eyes on them. It was different than the staring eyes from strangers, after the accident but before Pyro had a mask. But the eyes, and ears likely, were too curious and he didn't want to tell them anymore than they needed to know.

"Am I ever anywhere else but with you?" Pyro squirmed a little with barely contained glee. "But he likes you. He'll think this is a date with you!"

Engineer chuckled, "I better clean myself up, if that's the case!" He stood up from the table, "Come on, let's get back to the garage."

Pyro nodded, grabbing their plate and spoon so they could eat in the privacy of the workshop.

The hall became a bit louder when they left. A fair number of the team had been silently staring at the mysterious Pyro, some of them listening also. Although it was impossible to understand Pyro's garbled words through the mask. Engineer's words made a faint clue what their conversation was about.

The Spy pushed his food around his plate boredly as he watched them go. It was a challenge for him to ever find the Engineer alone. The Texan found his niche, guarded by the Pyro, and it was rare to find him without that company.

But he couldn't deny that the Engineer was eyeing him closely during dinner. He watched the man's cool blue eyes trace his body along the contours of his suit. And if he heard correctly, it seemed the Engineer might be inviting him to his garage soon. He looked forward to the encounter.


	4. Emery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a short one, the first strike of the match!

The Spy didn’t make himself easy to find. He never did. He never knew who else might be looking for him. And he wanted to be approached when it suited them both. It wouldn't be during battle- this young Conagher was too professional for that. It wouldn't be during a meal- too many people listened in. It wouldn't be in the showers, certainly. Even if the Spy used the group showers, the Engineer was certainly too shy to approach anyone there.

It seemed the locker room was the best place. The Spy went to the locker room early. Before battles but before anyone else came to retrieve their weapons. Spy stood in front of his locker and neatly organised his disguise case, making himself look busy.

The Engineer tended to be one of the first into the locker room after his morning shower. He spotted Spy and steeled himself. He had to ask. Dell wished he hadn't offered to do this. It was awkward, he'd only just turned the man down for some sort of date, and now he was inviting him into his private space?

"Hey, Spy," he gave him a smile that looked slightly unsure. "I- we, we were wondering if you wanted to spend a little time with us in the workshop tonight."

Hopefully this wasn't a terrible mistake and the Spy wasn't actually after any of his secrets. Not that they weren't well hidden, but the man was a spy for a reason. And of course, Pyro wasn't there with him right now. They always showered after the rest of the team so they could block the door and have privacy. And they tended to take a long time, too.

The Spy turned to the Engineer with a smile and raised brow. It wasn't quite how he expected it. The use of 'we' must include the Pyro. "A little time with you and the Pyro? The way you look at me I guessed you would want me to yourself, no?"

Dell could feel his ears turning pink but luckily his helmet covered most of that. Spy had put him off balance and suddenly his plan was gone and he was just responding to Spy's words instead.

"What way’ve I been lookin’?" He'd been sure no one had noticed. It was so much easier for Pyro to get away with staring, with those dark lenses.

He was there for Firebug, he reminded himself. But maybe he should let Pyro figure out the words for himself. As long as Spy was coming to meet with them, that would work out far better. Far less awkwardly.

The Spy smirked, "You want me to describe it to you?" The man looked embarrassed to be caught staring. But instead of deny it or ignore the statement, he asked about it. "You were looking at me, instead of your dinner. And your look said you wanted to taste me instead."

He finally took a cigarette from his disguise kit and placed it between his lips. He was calling the Engineer's bluff. He knew the man was staring but he had to guess the intention was attraction. Dell seemed to forget his goggles in place, or become so used to them that he preferred to keep wearing them. They did a lot to hide his eyes and the expression in them, even when it was clear he was staring.

Dell had to admit, Pyro was right. Spy was handsome -or pretty, maybe, as Firebug said- and he could only imagine how wild sex could get with a Spy who'd likely travelled the world and seduced whoever he pleased. It wasn't in Dell’s nature to lie, even to save himself from a bit of awkwardness.

"Maybe," was about all he could manage. He wasn't rightly sure how he felt about this Spy yet, but he hadn't reported Pyro's destruction of the door. He'd corrected himself to call Pyro 'they' instead of 'he'. Dell wanted to trust him. "We can talk more about it tonight?" he suggested, hearing footsteps approaching. He didn't want to have this conversation with the team around.

The Spy nodded briefly and let the Engineer escape the possibly awkward situation. He didn't know as much as he wanted to know about this situation. It seemed bold and dumb to walk into the garage not knowing what to expect. But many of his questions he doubted the Engineer would answer.

The Soldier came in and Spy's smile disappeared. He cloaked immediately and stepped out of the way. He hoped to ask the Engineer more questions or to at least have a conversation. But it wouldn't happen with the Soldier here.

"Private! Are you reporting for duty?! I don't see a weapon!" The Soldier shouted at Engineer.

Dell hadn’t yet grabbed his shotgun from his locker, but indicated it with a scowl. He didn’t know who had given the Soldier the impression that he was in charge, but if he kept this up he was going to get on Dell’s bad side.

The Texan didn't need to answer, the Heavy and Medic were coming soon after and they distracted the Soldier. "Maggots! You are all late! You nearly forfeited the battle!"

The Spy grimaced. Even if he wasn't the subject of the shouting it still grated at his nerves. While the Soldier shouted orders at the teammates filing into the locker room the Spy gave up on waiting to speak to Conagher and slipped away to the battlefield. Uncomfortable pins and needles prickled under the soft skin of his neck.

*** 

Engineer waited after battle, not bothering to hide the fact that he was nervous. He didn’t dare have anything out to tinker with in case the Spy was just here looking for that.

Pyro, on the other hand, sat at their desk under where they hung their flamethrower and the little fire plaque. There were papers and crayons strewn over the table. They were colouring, something bright and colourful, but only in strange shapes and ripples. It was how they saw the new flamethrower’s roar. It spanned across several pieces of paper.

Engineer couldn’t help but smile, watching Pyro. “You’re just cool as a cucumber, aren’t you, firefly?”

Pyro shrugged, still focused. They were getting impatient. They liked to be naked as much as they could in the workshop and now they had to wait for Spy to arrive and leave. Pyro was starting to think they needed to nudge Dell into dating the Spy. They weren’t sure Spy liked them enough for them to get close to him. But Spy liked Dell. If they couldn’t try for some kind of relationship with him, at least Dell might!

But Dell was nervous, almost pacing. The idea of seeing Spy here was making him excited maybe? Or anxious?

Dell could use a little nudge into a sexual relationship. This wouldn’t be the first time Pyro had done some nudging. They liked to see Dell happy.


	5. Ignition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> getting to know each other
> 
> Art in the middle by Wireskull (https://wireskull.tumblr.com)

The Spy picked up the same bottle of red wine several times. Maybe it was too suggestive! He put it down. But Dell must know exactly what the Spy is suggesting they do. He picked it back up. Does Dell drink red? He put it down. It is a standard gift to bring on a first date! He picked it back up. But Dell did not call this a date and a gesture like this might embarrass the poor man. He put the bottle down again.

With a frustrated groan, he took beer, of a Texan variety, from the refrigerator. It was a more appropriate gift and it did show he was aware of the Texan's personality. And thus, he appeared at the door of Engineer's garage, knocking with one hand and holding the box of beer in the other hand.

Engineer took one more look around the workshop to make sure nothing was laying around. It was neat as a pin, as it had been all night since he'd obsessively hidden and organized everything.

Pyro looked up briefly, but wasn't finished with their artwork. They’d give the two of them a little space at first. Though they were interested in Spy, Spy seemed far more interested in Dell.

Engineer opened the door, taking the beer as Spy offered it, a little surprised. A gift did say to him that this was more than just a casual conversation. And it was something he liked, rather than a more traditional gift.

If Spy would just be less handsome and charming, Dell felt his life would be much less complicated.

Spy came in and glanced around the room briefly. The team came here recently, but even so, the Spy was sure the Engineer had more projects to work on than what the empty tables showed. Pyro was in the garage, which he expected. It unnerved him anyway. His nerves were on edge for the entire day, ever since the Soldier appeared in the locker room, shouting orders. Despite that the Pyro was on his team, he was wary and jumpy. He was glad that, currently, it seemed the Pyro preferred their project on their desk.

"Thank you. Want one?" He wasn't sure Spy would even drink a beer. Taking off his glove, he used the thumb of his gunslinger to pop the cap off his own beer. He knew Pyro wouldn't touch the stuff, they were a lightweight and didn’t like feeling tipsy.

"It would be a shame to have you drink alone." He took a bottle as well and watched as the Engineer opened it with his metal hand. "Strong _and_ dexterous," he commented. The words implied he saw Dell's previous use of it to reach into a fire and break open a door, even if he was unseen at the time. "If I asked to hold your hand, would you permit me a closer look?" He smirked, mostly teasing.

Spy slipped his butterfly knife into his fingers and let it snap open and remove the lid of his own bottle in a smooth motion. He let the beer breathe for a moment as he spun the knife between his fingers until it flipped shut.

Pyro caught the flash of the knife on one of their lenses and turned to see. They watched the knife twirl intensely, fascinated by the way Spy made it dance. The little clacking sound the knife made was pale purple, sparks scattering from the source.  They turned a little so they could see the two of them in the corner of their admittedly limited vision.

The Spy noticed the Pyro's head turn. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He tucked away the knife into his coat and glanced at them, failing again to read any expression.

Dell saw a bit of nervousness from Spy as he glanced over at Pyro. Maybe Pyro was right, this might not work out for them.

It was somewhere between sad and funny; Pyro was intimidating to the team, but if their pyromania was overlooked, they were very sweet. As long as you weren’t their enemy, they were a gentle soul.

Engineer found himself all wrong-footed at the compliment. Besides Pyro, no one had ever seen the gunslinger the way he did, as something beautiful and better than the original. He’d often covered it with a skin coloured shell in college. People tended to react with pity instead of fear when it looked like an average prosthetic. That was only slightly preferable. To have Spy clearly impressed by it sent a thrill through him. Surprising even himself, he offered the gunslinger to Spy, palm up.

Spy took the metal hand in his own gloved hand. Despite how sturdy it looked, there was a lot of delicate work in it. With any small twitch of Dell's fingers, he felt the tension wires moving along the back of the hand, gliding over his gloved palm. He raised a brow thoughtfully and asked, "You designed this? And built it?" It seemed like a silly question to ask, but he had to.

Engineer slowly flexed his hand, letting the wrist do a full rotation to show off the movement of his hand proudly, "Yep, this one's all mine." His grandfather, Radigan had built a hand similar to it, but it had been more claw-like, not made for finer details or delicate work.

"Hm, a complicated project like this must require two hands." He let go of the hand and brought the bottle to his lips as the gunslinger rotated. The Spy sipped slowly as he seemed to read Dell with fierce penetrating eyes.

The bottle took the place of his cigarette, sipping when he would pause to smoke. The behaviour was more habit, and oral fixation, than addiction. "Interesting. You built this with two good hands, and then removed one to replace it with this. That is dedication to your craft, _Monsieur_ Conagher."

"Not quite," Dell admitted. "There was an accident, and I lost the use of my hand. The first prosthetic was built by my father. After that I took my time building my own." Which had been good, since he'd still been a teenager when he'd been burned and after awhile the first metal arm didn't fit as nicely.

Engineer pulled out a chair, sitting on his workbench backwards so they could talk. It seemed like Pyro had decided not to talk to Spy after all. The least Dell could do was entertain the man for awhile.

Pyro turned their head every once in awhile to look at them, but was mostly still. Now they were copying their class symbol, ignoring the paper and drawing it directly onto the work table. They were no longer using crayons, but a bottle of nail polish.

The Spy let himself take the chair, although he was careful to sit so that he could see both mercenaries. He swirled the bottle in his hand on instinct, somehow forgetting that he wasn't holding a glass of wine.

Dell didn't try to ask him any prying questions, or any questions at all, really. The Texan was smart, of course. Maybe he knew that if the Spy didn't want to answer, he would lie. Maybe Dell simply wasn't in the mood for lies. "Accident or no, maybe it was inevitable. You seem to follow in your father's and grandfather's footsteps."

Dell sipped his beer, finding himself feeling oddly comfortable talking about his family and his gunslinger with a new stranger. And a spy, at that!

Of course each of them joined Mann Co. as an Engineer and built incredible machines that defied the technology of the era, that didn't need to be mentioned. "Radigan's metal claw hand. Your father's metal legs. Your metal hand... I admit, _this_ strategy is new." He nodded to the Pyro and watched a moment to see large gloved hands push a tiny nail polish brush around. "The enemy Spy seems too wary to attack your buildings if your Pyro is in earshot. How is it that you are so close? Professionally and... privately, I assume."

Spy nodded towards the Pyro, who by now had finished their emblem on the table and was flicking on their lighter and holding it against the nail polish until it burst into a ball of fire. Pyro merely waited patiently for the flames to calm down, patting them with their gloves wherever they looked slightly out of control, then admired the Pyro symbol now burnt into their table.

Dell flushed when Spy suggested they were together. At least, that was what he thought he was suggesting. "We work well together, and I've always got that damn Spy -no offense- after my machines. Pyro's great at hunting down spies," he shrugged.

Spy swallowed subtly. He tried to hide it, but he was unnerved by the confirmation that Pyro hunted spies.

As often as he could admire the BLU Spy's work he was sure the Engineer simply cursed it. He couldn't be offended that Dell cursed the enemy Spy for putting hands on his machines. Using the fires to scare off the Spy was a brilliant strategy, he must admit.

"It seemed the best strategy." Dell concluded. As for how they were so close... Dell wasn't sure what to say. He opted for honesty, but not all of it. "We grew up together."

Spy was surprised at what Dell admitted. He wasn't sure how it was possible. The Conagher ranch in Bee Cave was isolated. The idea that Pyro was a neighbour wasn’t likely. "Pyro isn't..." The question seemed too absurd to ask. "They aren't a Conagher... Are they?"

"No, no," Dell chuckled. He expected that if Spy saw Pyro without their suit and mask he never would have asked, the two of them were pretty different. Though now they both had shaved heads, of course, rather than Pyro's wild mass of red hair. "They're like family," Dell said, trying to get it across to Spy that they might be close, but not close in _that_ way. He didn't want to admit exactly how close they were, how rarely they'd been apart growing up. "And they did live with us."

He had a feeling Spy knew exactly who the old team was, who each mercenary was and their histories. But the children of mercenaries tended to be well protected and sheltered, or they tended not to survive. Pyro had no papers to prove they had been born at all. The only people who knew their parents were either a part of the Classic team or had lived on the ranch in Bee Cave.

The Spy nodded, satisfied enough with that answer. He sipped at his beer again. "Ah, childhood friends. Sworn to protect each other."

"Yeah, that's about it." Though really, Pyro and him were more than that. They were something like soulmates, only platonically. No one seemed to understand either of them the same way as they understood each other.

Spy leaned towards Dell and set the bottle on the workbench. "I respect that you are close, but, you know, there are some things that are better with privacy." He nearly purred the last words with a bedroom voice that said exactly what he would suggest in private.

Dell took a long drink of his beer at the suggestion, buying himself time to think of a good response. Turns out he didn’t have one. "That might be moving a little fast, don't you think?"

Pyro perked up a little as their voices got quieter. Spy was suggesting that Dell and him have some time alone. Pyro didn't want to leave. They'd been involved with Dell and his other partners before, at least watching, sometimes more. They liked it that way, and so did Dell. They turned, looking at Dell. They knew they didn't exactly have any expression with the mask on, but they hoped their interest came through anyway.

The hesitation didn't bother the Spy. Dell was perhaps the closest thing to a gentleman on this base. From his humble demeanor to his calm nature, the Spy expected a challenge when he came to break down his guarded nature. He smirked, "I'm ready when you are, cowboy."

Dell caught Pyro's lack of expression, and wished they could just take the mask off. Their eyes were very expressive, and even that would probably be enough to know what they were thinking. Still, he had a feeling this was some kind of encouragement.

Pyro decided sign language would be the best way to communicate with him, though it was difficult with the large gloves on. **“Why not?”**

Dell had no real answer for them except that this was very sudden. And even if he'd had a good answer, he couldn't just sign back in front of Spy, that would be rude. He'd only known the Spy a couple weeks. Though... he considered, he had slept with people he'd known for less time. He just wasn't entirely sure he trusted a Spy yet. And though he’d hadn’t really known some of his past partners, he’d at least known their names.

"Why don't you tell me more about yourself?" Dell suggested. He left the question open, so that Spy could choose a topic he was comfortable answering.

The Spy turned his head. He was not in a mood to talk about himself. Fresh wounds were opened by a PTSD flashback, he struggled to keep them in the back of his mind ever since Soldier started shouting.

He took out a cigarette and stroked the tip with a small controlled flame from his lighter. The sharp flavour and the familiar rhythm and behavior would soothe him. Whatever came to his mind to say about himself would be too dark, too gruesome, and far too emotionally taxing to spend the night alone afterwards.

Pyro’s eyes caught the fire and they stilled, trying not to show too much interest in it. They didn’t want to intimidate Spy with an intense stare.

" _Moi_? Talk about myself? I think it would be far more interesting to know what you know about me." He ashed the cigarette and returned it to his lips. "You already found that I inform the Administrator of details on base that the cameras don't pick up. I'm sure a clever man like you has figured out plenty more." He didn't expect Dell to tell him anything, but it was a gentle redirection from talking about himself.

Yep, definitely too early in the relationship for sex. Spy couldn't even tell him one fact about himself. Not where he was born, or even what his favourite colour was. And he certainly didn’t expect Spy to tell him his name.

Dell sighed. "Too much, huh?" he reached out carefully, touching Spy's arm.

He could understand paranoia, at least a little. When he'd first arrived at college he'd refused to tell anyone his last name, or anything about himself, terrified that people would recognize the name Conagher.

Turned out that unless you're into serious weaponry, or war, the name didn't mean much.

"I can make a few guesses. Will you tell me if I'm right?"

The Spy let the Texan touch his arm without moving to avoid it or welcome it. He wasn't sure what the intention was, but he was surprised it was tender comforting. Did Dell see his unease so clearly? Or did he simply understand the paranoia when Spy avoided answering? He didn't care- he fought the urge to lean into the comforting warm hand.

The Spy nodded to Dell's request. "That's fair. Deal."

Pyro turned their back to them again. Spy wasn't watching them as closely anymore, but they were sure he'd feel safer not being watched by the dark lenses of their mask.

Dell puzzled for a moment, before turning and grabbing his guitar from where it leaned up against his table. It helped him think, to put things in order. Plus it might be soothing. Spy hid it well, but Dell could feel the bristling energy in him.

Pyro perked up as Dell began to strum, picking out a melody with ease. They stood from their work table and made their way over to Dell's, sitting on the floor by his feet. They loved when Dell played. It made the most interesting green patterns. It was even better when he sang, his usual amber voice weaving into the greens. Pyro recognized the melody as one Dell would sing sometimes. The song was about a man who’d sold his soul to the devil.

The Spy became more tense and cautious as the Pyro approached. He watched the masked person and realised they weren't watching him, rather, they were watching the guitar. The Pyro sat at Dell's feet peacefully, leaving their matches and flammable things behind to listen to the music.

While Dell thought, the only thing Spy could do was listen to the music. He was surprised to find how nice it was. It was no surprise that the Pyro came to listen to him play. The soft strumming was calm, and every vibration of the strings carried a playful hum.

"Let's see now," Dell murmured, the music continuing softly under his voice. "I'm thinking you know about the Classic team, since you mentioned my father?"

" _Oui_." Spy answered with a smile he was unaware he had. The Engineer listened well when the Spy talked, apparently.

"Pyros frighten you, and I'm willing to bet it's because you either met or heard about the Classic Pyro."

Pyro purposefully stayed still. So Dell saw it too. That meant they were right for sure, that Spy didn't like them. They weren't always good at picking things up from people.

Spy hesitated when Dell stated that. It was observant, and clever, enough to surprise him. Most of the team feared the Pyro, it wasn't a unique thing. Spy was certain there was no reason to suspect he feared more than just fire. " _Oui_. They call her Bea, and she is terrifying."

Pyro heard the Classic Pyro’s name and hunched their shoulders a little.

Dell laughed softly. He remembered Bea. "She is, yes," the music changed tone slightly.

At a particular chord, Pyro couldn’t help but follow the green colour with their eyes, their head turning towards the door.

The Spy blew a thin ribbon of smoke and glanced at the Pyro. Their head turned to watch something and Spy followed their gaze to a closed door.

He felt a chill come down the back of his neck and wondered if they weren't alone and if Pyro could see through a Spy's cloaks and disguises. But Pyro's attention returned to the guitar and Spy could relax again, as much as a spy could relax with a Pyro at his toes.

"I knew everyone on my father's team. I spent time on their base growing up." That was one detail he didn't mind sharing. "You've never met a Conagher before me," he suggested, smiling just a little, though this time he didn't explain his guess. Spy hadn't been afraid of him. Anyone who had met his father or grandfather would have reacted far more cautiously around him.

The Spy raised his brow, intrigued and enamored, wondering now exactly how smart Dell was. "Yes, that's true also."

The Engineer was thinking while he played the guitar, but he appeared to be pulling facts straight from Spy's mind. He knew the little clues that let Dell piece together some of these facts. But he was unable to determine how he knew the Spy met the Classic Pyro, but not the classic Engineer.

He thought about his own experiences and his thoughts grazed harmlessly over distant memories he was avoiding all day. He only realized then that the post traumatic episode, and the terrible intrusive thoughts and painful feelings, was all over. The calm tune that Dell played at his fingertips was more than just calming. It was healing. The pain that had seemed too real and too close all day was a distant thing now, replaced entirely with a pleasant tune to relax with.

The guitar continued for a while as Dell thought about everything he'd learned about Spy.

Meanwhile, Pyro was practically floating. They wanted to reach out and touch the colours swirling around them, but knew that looked strange to people who couldn’t see them. They ignored the talk of the Classic team and started to tune the words out in favour of the music. Conagher Sr was no longer very friendly with them, even though he'd been almost a father to them growing up. Bea meant very little to them, except for a few memories of watching her play with accelerants and fire. Still, they wondered if Spy had a brand, like they did. She liked to brand people.

Dell finally came up with his last fact. "You dislike our Soldier. You always disappear when he's around."

The Spy nodded, and offered to give even more information on that. "It isn't that I dislike his... _enthusiasm_ for battle... I moreso dislike his volume." He assumed this soft-spoken man could understand and relate to that. If not, it probably looked bad that the Spy disliked at least two valuable members of the team. "You're clever. I doubt anyone else on our team knows as much about me, or ever would without me telling them."

Pyro could understand Spy’s dislike of Soldier. Even if he couldn’t see the man’s voice like they did, he could hear how grating it was.

Dell nodded as Spy explained. "I know how you mean. Soldier's... not easy to live with." The yelling did grate on Engineer, but not in the same way as it affected Spy.

Engineer had to admit, he was pleased. Even if Spy wasn't ready to open up, he'd still confirmed what he already knew. And really, as he looked around the room and saw everything hidden away... he didn't trust the Spy yet either. It wouldn't make much sense to expect more than he himself was willing to give.

Spy suspected that Dell already knew he was pursuing him with such determination on orders from the Administrator to keep a very close eye on the legacy Engineer.

But it was easy for Spy to pretend it was only lust. Dell was a handsome man. His broad shoulders and strong hands begged the mind to imagine them on Spy's body. His young face and nice smile needed to be stroked and kissed.

Even if the Spy didn't come to wear down the Engineer's defenses and report on every project he worked on, he would eventually want to seduce this man. But the empty garage with no tool or machine part on display made it clear Dell didn't trust him.

Spy suspected Pyro was the path to this Conagher's heart. If he wanted to gain Dell's trust he needed to do more than speak kindly and allow their company.

Spy needed to do more than hide his nervousness and sometimes fear. He needed to show fondness for the masked mercenary.

“You and I clearly know each other well. Maybe next time I come, I can learn more about your friend, Pyro." He tilted his head to see if he might meet the masked gaze, or if Pyro was too preoccupied with the music.

Pyro heard their name and turned to look at Spy. They hadn't heard a single other word the man had said, they had gotten too preoccupied with the music. Now they wished they'd been listening properly.

Spy's suggestion caught Dell off guard. He'd thought if anything, Spy would have requested their next meeting be without Pyro. He nodded, not exactly smiling, but pleased. Perhaps he was willing to work through his fear of Firebug. Perhaps the two of them could become friends.

"I'd like that," Dell agreed, looking down to Pyro for confirmation that it was alright. Pyro caught Dell looking at them and turned to meet his gaze, but they still had no idea what had been said.

Spy couldn't read the Pyro's expression, but he assumed the Engineer could when he agreed to the offer. Spy suggested, "Maybe the evening of the next battle we win. We'll be in a good mood then, _non_?"

"Deal," Engineer agreed, taking his gunslinger off the guitar and offering it to Spy to shake.

Pyro was glad they seemed to be getting along but still wished they knew what Spy had said about them. They'd ask Dell once the Spy had left.

The Spy hesitated but then recalled, as strong as the hand was, it could also be careful. Dell seemed like that ‘all-American’ type that considered a weak handshake an insult. But he was probably aware enough that he would not crush the Spy's hand for the sake of being firm. Spy took the hand and agreed on it. "Then it's a date." He stood and smoothed his suit and went to the door. "I'll let myself out. Good luck in the battlefield tomorrow." Of course, now he had something to gain other than a victory, if their team won.

He let himself out and returned to his room. He felt a surprising calmness in himself as he hummed the tune from Dell's guitar. He thought that tonight he would get his best night of rest since he arrived at Teufort.

Pyro was a little sad to lose the music, but glad everything went so well. They waved as Spy left, but weren't sure if he saw. "I missed the last thing he said about me," Pyro admitted.

Dell put down the guitar and went to the door to lock it securely for the night. The door was always locked but he made extra precautions when he was letting his guard down. "He wants to come here again, and visit you," he summarized. The door beeped to confirm the lock and Dell let his friend know. "You can take off that mask now. It's just us." He came back to his bench and sat down with his guitar to think on the situation more.

Relieved, Pyro stripped off the mask and undid the back of their chem suit, letting it hang down around their waist. Their skin was hot to the touch from being under the suit. "Why?" Pyro tilted their head. "He likes you, why would he visit me?"

Engineer tossed them a handkerchief from his pocket, to let them wipe off the thin shine of sweat along their body. "Maybe he knows I ain't going anywhere without you, so he better get to know you too."

Pyro gave themself a quick wipe. They wished it was easier to have a shower and go to bed instead of having a shower, redressing in their suit, and then getting back to the workshop. They really needed a private area to wash, away from the team.

The Pyro was beautiful, Dell thought as they cleaned themselves up. Maybe not beautiful like people in magazines from the city. But even after a long day battling in a chem-suit, bruised and sweating, they were perfect. From the little red freckles on their shoulders to the white freckle scars caused by sparks and burning splashing liquid. It was a shame, he thought, that their sexual experimenting did not work out. Things would be easier if their sexual chemistry was as perfectly balanced and effortless as their other interactions.

"Heck, maybe he thinks you're cute. My money is on that." His metal fingers tapped lightly on the wood body of the guitar. "But the fact is, we need to figure out how you're going to talk to him. As many languages as he speaks, I doubt 'firefly' is on that list."

They groaned as they stood up from the floor and went to the bedroom. They kept the half-mask respirator in their side table and they put it on. They didn't like to be without either mask or respirator for long. Dell never seemed to notice, but Pyro was still sensitive about it after getting a few not-so-good reactions from other people.

"You'll be there, though, right? You can translate for awhile? Maybe he'd learn sign," Pyro suggested, stripping off the rest of their suit and underclothes. They looked at the mask they'd put down nearby. "Not sure I'd call that mask cute," they said. "Bug-eyed, maybe."

The Engineer strummed the strings of his guitar, but stopped often to listen to Pyro or to speak. He knew it was hard for the Pyro to focus too much on words with many other sounds in the air. "Bug-eyed? Is that why I call you Firebug?" he asked with a smile, but didn't expect an answer. "I'll be there. I'm not leaving you alone with that Spy. I'll tell him whatever you have on your mind." He strummed the strings a final time then placed the guitar down gently to join the Pyro.

Pyro was glad Dell stopped playing as the two of them spoke. Musical colours were far more distracting, more opaque and less like a film over their vision. "Thanks," they said, half tucking themself under the blanket. They got cold so quickly once they stepped out of their suit. "Do you like him?" Pyro was pretty sure they knew the answer, but wanted to hear it anyway.

Dell hesitated. "I.. he's a spy," he answered as if that was obvious enough. "He's charming, and handsome... He's trying to get into my pants like that's where they hide the BLU Intelligence. But he's a spy, how much of that is genuine?" He shrugged, trying to answer Pyro's question, "I guess... He's not as bad as I thought spies were... I think I might trust him some day... Heck, sure, I think I like him." He quickly added, "a little bit."

Pyro looked pleased. Yes, Dell was right, the Spy was moving quickly and a little more aggressively than maybe Dell was comfortable with. Dell usually preferred to be the aggressor. And he was a spy, he'd always be looking for secrets. But maybe they could trust him to keep theirs. That was a nice thought. And so was Dell having someone in his bed. He had machines for things like that too, but Pyro liked to see him happy with other people better. Pyro flopped down against the pillows.

They wondered if they'd win battle tomorrow.


	6. Tinder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spy does a bit of espionage, and Pyro reveals a secret to Medic

 

The Spy was determined to find more information before he went to the garage again. He knew so little about these two, he was feeling blindly in the dark when he asked questions. He could barely steer a conversation to a topic that revealed something important!

If Dell didn't expose the gunslinger in battle, how long would it be before Spy discovered it on his own?

Spy refused to arrange to truly meet Pyro and be caught off guard by a secret of theirs.

The Spy found the pyromaniac's supply room empty- confirming they moved their gear to the garage. Their personal room as well as Dell's personal room were also empty. Spy lurked in the locker room late at night when he was sure he wouldn't be disturbed.

Dell's locker was almost empty. He kept his helmet on the shelf, in line with the helmets of other mercenaries, and nothing else. Apparently he preferred to carry his heavy tool box back to the garage every evening and not risk tampering.

Pyro's locker was more appropriately filled. A spare chem suit hung on the pole. A spare mask hung on a hook. And a purse with a colourful little flower was on the shelf.

The Spy took it at once and opened it. The slim little purse was packed fat with nail polish and matches. He considered this for a moment and inspected each nail polish. He was no stranger to terrible weapons disguised as simple objects. He even fell prey to a lipstick laser beam at one time. But even after testing each bottle he found that the nail polish was only nail polish. And the matches were only matches. He slid his hand along the inside of the purse, hoping for a secret pocket. But he found nothing and placed the purse on the shelf again with a sigh.

He frowned at the optical mask and muttered, "Watching me closely, hmm?"

The mask looked more gaunt than usual with no face to wear it. But even deflated and hanging, the mouthpiece wasn't very different.

The Spy raised a brow as he considered that. He lifted the mask carefully and turned it in his hands.

He listened for footsteps to be sure he was alone and then he put the mask on. As he expected, the mask was a very tight fit. It squeezed his head, and if he didn't wear his balaclava, it would pull his hair. But the pressure was too tight around his jaw. Spy did not have a very wide jaw, certainly not compared to some men on the team. But even so, the mask didn't accommodate his jaw at all. He pulled himself free from the mask with a gasp of fresh air and scowled at the material, wondering how the Pyro's face could fit in there.

***

Somewhat reluctantly, Pyro made their way to the infirmary after battle. The team had lost, so Spy would not be coming to see them tonight. Dell was in one of his focused moods, barely answering when Pyro spoke, too preoccupied with something new. Pyro didn't want to bother him, and the Medic had been not so subtly hinting that he hadn't seen all the team for their check ups yet. Pyro was pretty sure that meant them.

They knocked on the door, poking their head in around the corner. They'd brought a ream of paper and a red crayon in a small bag, as well as their respirator.

The Medic held a bird gently in his large, bloody, gloved hands. The little thing filled his attention and a lightly damaged medigun sat ignored on the exam table. He was singing a playful tune to the bird, " _Wir auch wollen lustig sein, lustig wie die Vögelein_." He smiled as he called Archimedes a happy little bird.

His voice was a pale red to Pyro; pretty, but not as nice as Spy’s dark red.

When he heard the knock he turned with such energy that the dove fluttered away. His defensive expression became delighted when he saw the Pyro, " _Mein Freund_ , you're here! Come in, come in, _bitte_!" He moved the medigun hastily, "Are you here to try my latest experiment? Please, make yourself comfortable, while you can."

Pyro wasn't entirely sure what Medic meant by trying a new experiment, they really hoped that Medic wasn't going to try something awful. Still, they were here and determined to try and get through the check up. They hopped up on the exam table, swinging their feet a little as they waited. They pulled out a few sheets of paper and wrote, 'experiment?'

The Medic looked at the paper and picked it up curiously. He answered them anyway. "Yes, you're the perfect subject to switch heads. With this mask you wear, no one will ever notice and we don't need to worry about that terrible ethics committee ending our experiment." He grinned wide, "I have the perfect head just waiting!" He started putting tools on the table and then spun on his feet to go to the small refrigerator under his desk.

Pyro immediately crossed their arms over their chest, shaking their head no. They even said it aloud a few times, not sure if Medic would understand or not. Even if their head wasn't in the best condition, it was theirs and they weren't going to change it! They wrote on another piece of paper and held it out to him.

Medic stopped with one hand on the refrigerator and looked back at the Pyro. "No?" He repeated. "But why are you here?" He stood up and took the new paper to read it.

'Check up only!' in their blocky, childish handwriting.

"Are you sure I didn't examine you already?" He dropped the page to flutter to the ground with the previous paper. "Oh, there are so many mercenaries and so little time. Who can keep track of them all?"

Certainly not a mad scientist who was more interested in terrible experiments than general medicine.

"We will begin with general questions." He opened up a large cabinet full of jars with strange floating things. "Hmm... Are you between the age of 18 and 25?" He hummed when Pyro said no. "That won't do. Ah, how tall are you?" He turned his head to look for himself and grunted in frustration, "No!" He picked up a jar with excitement, "Oh! Perhaps your blood is AB+??"

He looked at the Pyro hopefully. Although he was asking questions that a doctor might want to know -age and height and blood type- he was shopping for parts in the bodies of his teammates.

Pyro did not catch on to the fact that he was more interested in their organs than medicine in general. But the questions were coming too fast and too vaguely for them to really answer well. Finally they just shrugged, putting their hands up in a gesture of confusion.

Pyro wasn't sure the Medic was a very good doctor. Their only experience was with the Classic Medic, who had been serious but kind. And he'd taken good care of them when they'd had their accident. Plus he'd taken good care of Dell when he lost his arm. This doctor... Pyro wasn't sure he'd trust him like that.

After a few more strange and quick questions, Pyro sighed and pulled up their mask carefully, revealing their face. They’d have to show him eventually, and they hoped he was a good enough doctor to keep a secret.

The Medic fumbled to put the jar on a shelf and approach the Pyro. " _Was ist das_?" He murmured to himself as he adjusted his glasses. He stood in front of the Pyro and studied their face. "This explains why I never understand a single thing you are saying."


	7. Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we get a little nsfw in this chapter
> 
> sketch by Wireskull (https://wireskull.tumblr.com)

Friday's battle was won, and most of the team wanted to celebrate by drinking and playing cards. Engineer and Pyro retreated to their workshop. Dell was cleaning up some of the tools from earlier work while humming along to trendy country music on the radio.

Pyro was anxious, uncomfortable, and excited. They wanted to get out of their suit and wipe away the sweat from the day, but Spy was coming tonight and they couldn't be naked around him, not yet. Maybe not ever.

"When is he coming?" Pyro all but whined. "If he doesn't come I don't want to wait in my suit." They were not sure what was the more annoying feeling; the nervous sweat building up in their gloved palms, or to wait, unsure if Spy would ever appear.

Engineer patted the top of their masked head, affectionately. "Take off your boots and gloves?" he suggested. "That'd be a bit more comfortable."

Pyro had already taken off all the belts and pouches from their suit to make it easier to relax in, but they hadn't considered the boots and gloves. Could Spy betray or dislike them after seeing only their hands and feet? Was there anything important a Spy could find from seeing so little? Engineer didn’t seem to think so. That would be alright, they decided.

Nothing bad could come from letting the rogue see their calloused and burned hands.

They tugged off their boots and gloves, putting them where they belonged in the new locker Dell had helped them build. The suit needed to be hung up properly every night so they needed a locker in here. Pyro instantly felt cooler, the air on their hands was refreshing. For a person who loved fire so much, even they had a limit for tolerable heat!

They turned over their hands and inspected what Spy would see. Pale skin… They were getting so pale now. They had always been pretty pale and freckled, but now their skin wasn't getting any sun.

Spy arrived fashionably late, if he was asked. In sooth, he refused to appear sweaty, with dirt stains on his slacks and blood on his coat. He bathed, and redressed before coming.

Late, but perfectly neat and tidy, Spy was as elegant and handsome as always, but inside he was nervous and wondered if he was a fool to meet the Pyro.

 _“Bonsoir_ ," he greeted the Engineer and acknowledged the Pyro with a bouquet of flowers.

A pale, naked hand cupped Spy's gloved hand and took the flowers from him. It was the closest he’d ever allowed a Pyro to come. The feeling of the larger hand on his own nearly made him freeze.

But Pyro's hand did not linger too long. They did not grip his hand or enclose around his wrist. The strong hands withdrew to hold the very delicate flowers.

Spy stared at the mask and the opaque eyes, trying and failing to read their expression as they lifted the flowers up to their face.

The bouquet of flowers Spy had brought, purchased from a little shop in Teufort, matched the bold white and yellow flowers on the purse in Pyro's locker.

Engineer closed the door behind him so they'd have some privacy. "Ain't that sweet of you," he chuckled, practically feeling the happiness from Pyro. Spy really was laying the charm on thick.

Pyro's delight was finally apparent to Spy also when they laughed and nuzzled into the flowers as if to attempt to smell them. When they lifted their mask away from the flowers, there was yellow pollen dusting the black filter. Pyro ran their fingers over the stems and up over some of the petals, clearly pleased. It was nice to feel them, since they couldn't smell them.

The Spy watched the naked hands and studied the details of them while they were exposed. The notes catalogued in his mind.

Pale skinned, and freckled > definitely not a Conagher, as Dell said.

Small scars and deep scars > burned by sparks, embers and also chemicals.

Hard calluses and black fingertips > from handling fire directly.

All of that was expected, but one trait stood out. Bright, shining orange polish, on short fingernails. It was chipped and damaged from hard daily work, but apparent that Pyro groomed themself well.

Pyro brushed a hand over the face of the flowers and the Spy was suddenly aware of another trait: A too familiar, too meaningful, distinct, although faded white, letter B of raised scar tissue.

Spy recognised it immediately and knew only one cause of a scarring brand like this. Pyro had met the Classic Pyro, and she marked them. The reminder of it made Spy's own brand seem hot and painful.

He uncomfortably adjusted the hem of his mask as he watched Pyro.

Pyro didn't have anywhere to put the flowers and they fidgeted with indecision.

Dell saw the squirming and quickly realized what they needed. He grabbed a mug from the sink and filled it with water, putting it down for Pyro to put their flowers in. As he walked past the radio, he turned it off. He often kept it on while tinkering, but he wasn’t sure how Spy felt about country music, and it might be better to have some quiet anyway.

Carefully, Pyro put the white and yellow daisies in the mug. "They match my purse," they told Engineer, almost shyly. Spy must have noticed it.

"Thanks," Dell told Spy, "they love them."

Spy's looked past Engineer to a machine hidden under a sheet. He didn't let his eyes remain on it, he couldn't openly study it or try to determine what it was with the Engineer watching him. It was clear the Engineer wasn't ready to let him see it. Spy could only assume it wasn't hidden away because it was a large size, too heavy to move easily and too large to put in a closet.

"I'm glad. Deciding what tastes they have was a nice challenge,” he said, then asked, "Pardon me, but I'm not familiar with the custom. When you say 'they'..." He hesitated and raised a brow, "Is it a matter of the Pyro's identity remaining a secret?"

Pyro was reluctant to stop touching the flowers, but if they kept their hands on them, they'd destroy them with their fidgeting. Once the flowers had died and dried out, they would burn them, but for now they wanted to see them bright and alive.

Engineer shrugged. "It's not that. They just prefer 'they'. Though it does add to the mystery, I suppose."

Pyro nodded, leaving the flowers and sitting down. "Thanks for using they," Pyro said, looking to Dell to translate their incomprehensible mumbling.

"Thanks for using the right pronouns," Dell repeated. “Not many people do.” Engineer had set up a few chairs for them, and brought out a few beers for him and Spy. He offered one to Spy as they all made themselves comfortable.

The answer only made Spy more curious. If the Pyro wanted to hide their identity, Spy was sure he could weasel out their gender and discover who they are. But the idea that the Pyro simply existed somewhere between male and female, or possibly on a different spectrum completely, left him lost. Pyro was hard to pin down, and the depth of the mystery only continued.

The closer he came to Engineer to learn his secrets, the more he became lost in the secrets surrounding Pyro.

"Of course," he answered simply as he graciously accepted the beer, secretly wishing they were drinking wine instead.

"Pyro, if you're not hiding your identity, there is no reason to keep your mask and suit in place." He smiled with invitation in his tone, "It's Friday night, we have tomorrow to ourselves. Hang up your suit and relax with us."

Pyro sighed. They did want to be out of their suit. But it was too soon. They knew that sometimes people would treat them differently when they saw them, especially after seeing their scars.

They liked Spy. They could accept if Spy was nervous around them. But if they removed their optical mask and Spy made himself look away, or if Spy never came to speak to them after what he saw… they weren't ready to face that.

"You're still wearing your suit and mask," they pointed out instead.

Dell chuckled, Pyro had a good point. "They say you're still wearing your suit and mask too."

Pyro took a beer bottle and rolled it between their hands, using it to cool themselves off. They didn't want to drink it, just feel the cold, smooth glass.

Spy exhaled a plume of smoke, "True. Do we have an arrangement that if you remove your suit, then I'll remove mine?" It was a flirtatious jest and an offer he didn't mind suggesting.

He had plenty of layers under his suit, and always had his mask. And he had no intention of ever removing the mask.

"Maybe," Pyro liked the idea of seeing Spy naked, but they weren't sure it was a fair trade yet. They didn't know if Spy had much to hide, but they knew they did.

Dell translated, then sighed. "Wish you spoke sign language, then they could just talk straight to you."

The Spy wanted to suggest he could understand the Pyro if they would simply remove that mask. But the Pyro already showed they didn't want to. Although the Pyro seemed to be a very happy person, he didn't want to test that by asking for the wrong thing too many times.

Instead he looked to Engineer curiously, "Sign language?" That might be faster than learning to interpret the garbled words that Engineer seemed to understand effortlessly. He gestured to Pyro, "Tactical?" It was the form of sign language that Spy knew best.

"American sign language," Dell corrected. "We both learned a few years ago. It was hard to-" Dell suddenly realized he was going to tell Spy maybe more than Pyro was comfortable with. "Sorry," he said to Spy, then turned to Pyro. "How much can I say, Firebug?"

Pyro could see where Engineer was going with it and again, and they weren’t sure they were ready for Spy to learn that much about them. He was a Spy after all, and Dell didn't fully trust him. But Pyro's only real experience with Spies was with the Classic Spy, who had practically been family. The Classic Spy was trustworthy and good to them, so Spies could be trustworthy for the right person, couldn’t they?

Dell translated as Pyro spoke: "I don't talk well, I got hurt."

That was clear enough, wasn't it? It would do, anyway.

Engineer was a little surprised Pyro had even said that much. It showed a fair bit of trust to reveal their disability. Pyro's trust in the man made Dell feel a conflicting mess of distrust, protectiveness and a willingness to accept Pyro's instincts and open up to the Spy.

Spy nodded at the mention of the accident and chewed on the end of his cigarette. Pyro's unknown speech was one mystery that was starting to make sense. He hated to be the only person in the room to not know a secret, but he loved discovering secrets when all the pieces came together.

The Spy's eyes traced the contour of the bottom of the mask, where the shape of Pyro's mouth hid behind the raised cylinders. He wondered what disfigurement required such secrecy.

After he reflected on that, he smiled sadly at Pyro's situation. He heard how much they spoke, muffled into their mask, and assumed they were happy to talk with their teammates and simply unaware that no one understood them. What a terrible thing to be unable to communicate.

Despite all of the languages Spy knew, he didn't know American sign language. He learned the French sign language when he was in Europe still, but never encountered a situation to need ASL. Least of all would he expect to need it here. He spoke English and signed LSF together, to Pyro, in a simple statement, **“Apologies. I only know LSF.”**

The signs were similar, and Pyro picked up a few familiar signs as Spy spoke. They suddenly felt elated. Maybe they could talk to Spy!

They began to sign slowly as they spoke, not sure if Spy would pick any of it up or not, but hopeful to try. **“They might be similar!”** they suggested. It would be nice to have someone else to talk to. As much as they loved Dell and appreciated him translating for them, it was frustrating sometimes, and a little lonely. Their communications with the team were so basic. Nods and head shakes, thumbs up and pointing.

Dell repeated Pyro's words aloud, then smiled. "They look like they share a few signs. It might make it easier to pick up ASL since you know LSF." He finished his beer and reached over to take the bottle Pyro was fidgeting with so he could drink it.

The Spy grinned without meaning to. It was, perhaps, the first thing he understood from Pyro that evening, without a translation from Engineer. And better still, it was the first time since he saw the Pyro that the eerie mystery fell aside to indicate someone very human beneath the suit.

The signs were not perfectly comparable. But it wasn't too hard to realise the missing word in a simple sentence, with Pyro making sounds for each word. He chuckled and answered Dell, "It's nothing we can't decipher, clever minds like ours." He signed to Pyro a simple sentence he was sure translated, **“I can learn the differences.”**

Pyro lit up behind their mask, excited. Spy was trying! Spy wanted to talk to them! And he'd called them clever, which gave them a little glow all by itself. Spy seemed happy to understand them, as happy as Pyro was to be understood.

Dell smiled to see Pyro so clearly pleased, and Spy genuinely reaching out to them. He hadn't really expected much from this night, he wasn't sure Spy wanted to get to know Pyro so much as get closer to some original Conagher blueprints.

 **“Thank you,”** Pyro signed, not sure how else to let Spy know how much they appreciated it.

 

***

 

Spy left a little later in the evening, leaving Pyro feeling charmed. They were very attracted to Spy, he was handsome and endearing and he’d paid some very kind attention to them.

Pyro still didn’t think he was sexually interested in them. Of course, they weren't sure they were ever interested in anyone this way. Spy was effortlessly romantic, but entertaining that was something different.

Pyro had enough to hold them back from hoping for more: when Spy’s eyes had cautiously lingered on Pyro's brand, his nervous feeling was obvious. And Spy had made it clear he was after Dell.

Which was great, of course, Pyro was happy that Dell might have a partner. If he could learn to trust the Spy. But even if it was impossible, it didn’t mean Pyro couldn’t fantasize about becoming a part of the couple.

Tucked into their bed later, a few inches from Dell, Pyro began to touch themself. The only clue that gave them away to Dell was the way the mattress shook as they tensed and relaxed, and the quick, ragged breaths through their respirator.

The Engineer suspected they were responding to the Spy's encounter. Pyro never responded to people, as much as Engineer knew. They only responded to the physical need itself. Even before the accident, they never quite connected with people. Yet Dell could almost feel the thoughts of Pyro taking shape in the air, the way Pyro's synesthesia made colours out of sounds. "Thinking about Spy?"

Pyro's voice was a little breathless, and they didn't stop. They hesitated to admit that they were, but Dell wouldn't mind. He had no reason to be jealous, and anyway, they shared everything. "...yes," they admitted.

In a way, they were surprised that Engineer wasn't doing the same. Spy was really trying to charm him. Was it just not working? "Why aren't you?"

Dell didn't have an answer for that. The Spy's charms were effective. This charismatic approach of dating made the romantically lonely man want to forget the Frenchman was a spy. He wanted to pretend this tall and slim European was pursuing him for romance only. Well... romance and sex, hopefully.

Dell answered with a statement, "I can't figure out why he's so interested. I mean, if you take away my name, and my machines, what do I have to offer someone like him?"

Pyro didn't answer for a moment. Dell could feel them tensing, muscles tight and flexing for a moment before they reached their climax, then relaxing. Grabbing a tissue from their bedside table, they cleaned themself up and rolled onto their side to face Dell.

"You have lots to offer," they assured him, still breathing a bit too fast. "You're handsome and smart and sweet. He'd be stupid not to like you." Pyro had always thought Dell didn't see people flirt with him, didn't see people liking him. He got down on himself for it too. During college, he'd had a bit of popularity in queer circles, but Dell seemed to think it was only because of his fucking machines. Pyro knew it was more than that. There had been a few young men who'd been very interested in him. Dell just never opened up enough for people to get that close.

Dell smiled, flattered by Pyro's thoughts. "I'll be sure to tell Spy that." He opened up an arm to welcome Pyro to cuddle in with all of their blankets. "You think this spy is smart enough to know a good catch when he sees it?"

Pyro shifted closer, throwing a leg over Dell's and resting their head on his shoulder. They sighed. "I think so. I hope so."

If this spy was untrustworthy, as Dell seemed to think, then Pyro would be upset. They were encouraging Dell to do this. What if they were wrong? All they could do was support him and hope for the best. And if Spy betrayed Dell... make him suffer for it.

Dell relaxed under the comfortable weight and heat of the Pyro. They never did bring Pyro's bed to the garage, like he said they would. But they both knew it wouldn't happen. At this point he only thought about it when he wondered if there was room for another man in their bed, if the relationship with Spy did become sexual. "Maybe next time Spy says something about getting intimate, I won't turn him away." He considered. After a moment of thought he suggested, "Maybe he will be interested in being between us.” It was a challenge to find a man who liked to be fucked by Dell as much as he liked to be manhandled by Pyro. “You want to try something with him if we get him into our bed?”

Pyro felt safe and sleepy against Dell. They always liked it best when they both went to bed together. It was hard to get to sleep on nights when Dell stayed up to work on a project. "No, I want you to try. I want you to be happy. I think he’s afraid of me still. Do you... would you want me to go? I could sleep in my room," the offered, but they really didn't want to. They wanted the warmth and comfort of sleeping with someone, and sleeping with Spy and Dell might be even better than sleeping just with Dell.

Dell squeezed the Pyro's shoulder, "Shoot, no! I ain't letting a spy get me alone." He half-joked then added with more seriousness, "I won't kick you out just to get a man in my bed."

Pyro nuzzled against him, humming happily. “Thanks.”


	8. Scintillation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things get hot!

When Spy came to the garage again, he brought wine, held gently in one arm, with wine glasses hanging between his fingers. The Engineer might comment that it was much less casual than beer. He expected that. Spy didn't mind teaching him the finer things he could offer.

Engineer greeted him at the door, smiling as he saw the wine. It was far more typical of Spy to drink wine, he suspected. “Thanks, come in,” he stood aside, taking the glasses. He didn't comment on it. He figured Spy had been accommodating his tastes more than his own. It was only fair that they drink what Spy preferred now.

Pyro was busily putting their flamethrower back together, their gloves black with grease and ash. They waved to Spy, mumbling and signing a quick hello. Once the weapon was whole again, they stood, removed their gloves and went to join the two men.

Spy felt his heart race when he saw Pyro. But when they waved and signed it was easier to sense the friendly, and somewhat sassy, person under the suit. They became less frightening in those moments.

Spy settled into the seats by the workbench and commented, "Perhaps we can meet in my smoking room, some evening." The primary reason was selfish- he wanted the comfort of his cushioned chairs. But he suggested something more considerate, "It's a shame that you need to tidy up so much, every time I visit." He noticed that the large machine from the previous night was still present and still hidden under a sheet.

Engineer nodded, pouring himself and Spy some wine. Pyro wouldn't want any. The Frenchman picked up the glass of wine Dell offered and was relieved to see the Texan drinking also. He enjoyed wine and would drink alone, but he preferred company.

"That'd be nice," Engineer agreed. It would be nice to see the man's private room. He'd never been in there and was curious. Maybe he could learn a little bit more about the mysterious Spy. But he was a realistic and logical man, he equally expected that Spy would hide anything personal or private before entertaining visitors, the same as Engineer did.

Pyro signed to Spy, speaking at the same time as always. **“Why is it called a smoking room?”**

The Spy considered this, to be sure he understood first and answered, "It's the name for a gentleman's lounge. There is smoking, but I'm afraid that is from cigarettes, or pipes, and not fires." He signed, **“My apologies.”**

Pyro was pleased to see Spy signing, even if they didn't need him to sign back. He was practicing, and probably already knew more words than the simple sentence implied.

The Engineer had a full garage for his private use, and the Medic had the infirmary. Pyro didn’t question that a Spy was simply given a smoking lounge. Spy seemed to notice that, and notice also the skeptical curiosity on Engineer’s face.

"It was the entertainment room when I first arrived. But you know how terribly small our bedrooms are. So, I locked the door and I called it mine." Spy smiled around the lip of his glass. He was clearly pleased with himself still that no one ever wondered if there should be a community lounge on base.

Dell chuckled at that. "Snatched it up for yourself, hm? Clever. I likely woulda done the same if I hadn't been given this space." He had requested a large workshop and this place was even larger than he'd expected, big enough to share with Pyro, and with a storage room attached that they had turned into their bedroom. "There are some benefits to being a third generation Engineer and a Conagher," Dell admitted. "As long as my requests are reasonable, I mostly get what I ask for."

He'd noticed a difference in the way Pyro was treated when they requested supplies for their weaponry. They tended to get their requests turned down more often, citing a limited budget.

"I'm sure the benefits are endless when you are Mann Co.'s golden boy," Spy commented. He suspected that Pyro had special treatment also, when Dell requested something for them. After he learned how close they were, he wondered if Dell and his important family were the reason Pyro had this job. He swirled his glass and watched the transparent red cling to the glass, appreciating the visual quality of the wine.

As Spy appreciated the red colour of the wine, Pyro did the same with the wine-red colour of Spy’s voice.

"When you lay down that Texas charm, with that accent of yours... does anyone ever tell you 'no'?" Spy looked up at him from his glass with a flirtatious smile.

Dell flushed a little, rubbing the back of his neck. He never had been good at flirting, or accepting compliments. "Well it seems to be working on you," he smiled, drinking a bit of his own wine to avoid saying more.

Pyro was practically glowing behind their mask. They were happy Spy was flirting with Dell. And more than that, they liked watching Dell get a little flustered under Spy's attentions. He was normally so collected, it was almost sweet to see him like this. Dell was always more confident when he was the aggressor, but sometimes he was too awkward to try it.

" _Mais oui!_ _"_  Spy answered, "I have exemplary taste." He enjoyed watching Dell for a moment more. The man was so responsive. He blushed and looked away. He was truly reacting now to Spy's suggestions rather than simply deflecting them. He turned his attention to the Pyro to let Dell escape the focus for a moment. Spy spoke and signed together, knowing he needed the practice and some signs might not be recognised from LSF to ASL. **"You're still in your suit today, even without battle?"**

Dell simply turned his attention over to Pyro.

Some of the signs didn’t quite translate, and Pyro took a moment before they responded to correct them for Spy, repeating his question slowly, with the signs from ASL. Once they were sure Spy had them, they responded.

 **“So are you,”** Pyro retorted. **“I can't even see your hands.”**

Engineer tried to stifle a laugh. Pyro could be surprisingly cheeky sometimes, once they got to know someone. Them acting this way with Spy seemed to be a good sign. "They've got a point." He smiled at Spy, showing he wasn't serious.

Pyro nodded. Even if Spy did strip out of some of his clothes, they weren't sure they were ready to. It was a lot of trust to put in someone. Wanting someone to stay was a vulnerable feeling.

Spy lifted his gloved hand and considered it. "This? Oh, what is the matter?" He teased the Pyro gently, "Do you prefer that I show more skin?"

Guileless Pyro did not see the teasing and merely nodded. They would like to see more of Spy.

Dell just sipped his wine, trying to keep his laughter contained. Pyro was blunt, they said what they meant and didn't have much in the way of subtlety.

The Spy shrugged and matched at least what Pyro showed. He set his wine glass down and slipped his gloves off and placed them neatly on the work counter. " _Voilà._ " He stated simply. His hands didn't say anything about himself or his history, except maybe that he was not often in the sun and didn't work so hard with his hands as the Engineer did. His hands were narrow and pale, and completely without scars. **“Is that better?”** he signed.

Engineer was privately surprised Spy had agreed to take off his gloves. His hands didn't give much away, as Spy had thought, but not being able to see his skin certainly added to the mystery of him.

Pyro nodded, signing back, **“Thank you.”**

Now they felt a little silly. They had maybe been hoping for more than just Spy's bare hands, though they were very pretty. But they weren't willing to do more than that themself, so it would be unfair to ask. At least now they showed an equal amount of skin. Spy's hands were pristine, not a scar or mark on them. Pyro was quite aware of their own rough and scarred up hands. Engineer's hand was rougher too, but not as scarred. And the gunslinger was beautiful, and perfect.

"At this rate, maybe we'll actually get you naked, in a few months," Engineer teased.

" _Oh là là_ , I can't wait." Spy laughed as he took his wine glass. He sipped and then repeated in a more serious tone, "Really. I _cannot_ wait. I would rather have a reason to take off my suit tonight."

Dell looked down, laughing. God, Spy was tempting. He was handsome and absolutely trying his hardest to charm them both. Most of the men in Dell's past had tolerated Pyro, or ignored them, but Spy was going out of his way to include them, which was important to Dell. "You move fast," he grinned. "But I still ain’t sure if you're after me or my machines."

Spy wasn't deterred. He met Dell's eyes and challenged him, “What can your machines do that would impress me as much as you do?”

Before Dell had a chance to respond, Pyro interrupted. They said something to Dell, their hands still for the moment so Spy couldn't understand them, but their tone was very candid, offering a genuine answer that the Frenchman could not understand.

Dell stuttered over his words for a moment, clearly off guard by the blunt answer. "Firebug!" he couldn't help but laugh, although he seemed a little bit embarrassed to Spy. Dell's embarrassment barely registered with Pyro, they were proud of their idea, and excited to let Spy see the machine, and maybe more.

Spy was almost uneased again, suddenly an outsider without any way to interpret the Pyro’s meaning. Although these little encounters let him meet his fellow mercenary, he knew nothing about what was behind the mask. He could not guess what Pyro was thinking, ever. He cleared his throat, "Pardon?" Truly curious what Pyro said to make such a response. "It seems one of you has an answer…”

Pyro repeated what they said, this time with sign.

Dell just laughed, putting a hand over his face. "I think that might be a bit more than any of us expected from tonight, darlin'."

The Spy was silent for a moment. The sign Pyro used was unknown, but it was clear they were describing a machine Dell made.

There were enough clues for Spy to guess the full meaning. Dell's shy, red face made it clear that Pyro was saying 'fucking'. He had to repeat it, somehow not believing he understood it correctly. "A machine for fucking?" He chuckled and looked directly at Engineer, waiting for him to say it frankly and clearly.

The Engineer wished he was wearing his helmet and goggles to obscure his expression when this cool and suave Frenchman pinned him down with an unbreakable stare. But of course he had no escape but to answer. Spy guessed it right anyway, and he laughed awkwardly as he admitted, "They might be a... a bit of a side hobby." Somehow that made it better, he hoped, in the eyes of this rogue who likely had many lovers, and never a machine to satisfy those urges by himself.

Though to be honest, Dell preferred strapping someone else in rather than using it himself. He’d had an idea on how to improve his last design from a year prior, and after drawing up a blueprint, he couldn’t resist building it.

Spy smirked, full of amusement that the very serious and professional Texan had such a machine in his garage. "Well? May I see?" He looked to the Pyro. They were clearly shameless. They might move to show him before Dell did.

After quickly finishing his last mouthful of wine, Dell stood and went to the machine, pulling the sheet off it. Quickly, like a bandaid, but also stinging like a bandaid. He couldn’t guess what his guest’s response would be.

Pyro waited in their chair, giving the two of them a little space. Dell wanted them to stay if the two of them had sex, and they definitely wanted to stay and watch. But they didn't think Spy would want them too involved. For now, anyway. Pyro allowed themself to have hope for future encounters.

Spy stood for the reveal, and was stunned into silence at first. It was more than he was expecting. More than a simple vibrator or plunging arm with a dildo on it.

It was a genuine machine. But intriguingly, the mechanics of a machine and the comfort of human needs built together. A bench with a comfortable back, complete with leather cuffs for wrists and ankles, and a gap in the seat for the dildo to move through. The mechanism was hidden behind black padding and shiny metal, and there was a remote sitting on the padded bench.

The fucking machine was as complicated as the Texan, and everything he built. The Spy felt warmth come up to his cheeks. Not many things made him shy, but this was a sexual experience he’d never had before. It made him blush to be the less experienced man, truly a virgin to a situation like this.

"And to think, you were thinking you would wait months to see me naked, and then how long to introduce me to this?" Spy fumbled to find some confident words to say.

The machine was intimidating, certainly. The only times Spy could consider himself fucked by a machine were occasions with very enthusiastic, strong, tireless lovers. But that was poetic speech. This was a true machine. Yet Spy was never so excited to ride something in his life. A part of Spy was truly grateful Pyro suggested this. But he was also off guard to not be the guiding force to bedroom activities. Apparently, Pyro was not a lover of subtlety and foreplay.

Dell felt a rush of satisfaction from watching Spy turn a bit pink. So the man could blush! He was admittedly pleased to have thrown Spy for a loop. "You can thank Pyro for speeding that along." Dell shook his head slightly, smiling at the fire-starter.

The taller man circled the machine and stroked his naked hand along it. The touch of the leather on his skin was thrilling. "Strong, and yet delicate, like your other creations, I imagine. May I see it in action?”

Pyro was happy to watch Spy inspect the machine, to see Dell gaining a bit more confidence where Spy seemed to be fumbling a little.

"You want to see it move? Or do you want to test it out?" Dell was starting to feel more confident here. This he could do: Dominate with his machines, stay completely in control of the pleasure of another man. Sex was not so intimidating when he was in control. And Spy slipped nicely into that role of giving him control, whether he intended to or not. He'd missed this powerful rush, he realized. And he loved the idea of Spy strapped in, coming undone in front of him.

The spreading warmth in Spy's cheeks was impossible to push back when Dell suggested that he test the machine. He finished his glass of wine also now and asked, "You'll let me test it? I assume with myself in the seat of honour." The idea intrigued him, but he held onto his composure and pretended to consider it- though his eyes never left the rigid head of a dildo peeking through the gap in the seat.

As the colour spread across Spy's face, so did the grin on Dell's. "That's generally how I like it," he agreed. "We can even put you in cuffs, if that’s how you like it.” but he was sure that a spy might take issue with being bound.

Spy's eyes moved up from the seat quickly to Dell's smile. The Texan's demeanor was not shy at all now. It was clear that the situation they were quickly approaching was the Engineer’s comfort zone. “ _Non, merci._ ” Spy answered, as Engineer expected.

Dell noticed the quick glance Spy made to Pyro. Spy was letting himself become vulnerable, but not that vulnerable, not in front of the Pyro.

Pyro stayed quiet, turning in their chair to watch them, leaning their arm over the back of the chair and letting their head rest on their arm in a day-dreaming manner.

Spy still didn't want to believe that the small-town man had more experience than him, a world-class lady-killer and man-killer. But in this situation, it was clear, Engineer was so comfortable and confident, he was taking the lead. Spy admitted finally, with a surprisingly honest smile, "I have never tried something like this before. Where do we start?"

Dell stepped closer to the machine, running his organic hand over the back support. Part of it held a small drawer, large enough for a few cloths and a bottle of lube. He opened it but took nothing out. "If you really want to do this... you'll need to undress," Dell gave him one last chance to back out.

"I expected that." Spy hooked a finger into his tie to undo it, but then stopped. "And Pyro?" Before he could remove his clothes or disarm himself he was very aware that the faceless being was watching. By their body language they appeared to be watching with total appreciation and adoration. But Pyro seemed to express appreciation with strange practices, and Spy was wary of being the subject of that gaze.

"They'll stay," Dell nodded. He didn't want Pyro to be sitting in their bedroom alone and unhappy. They liked to watch and were far more comfortable staying near him. And while the Spy was here, Dell was more comfortable with them near him also.

Pyro nodded, signing as they asked, **“Is that okay?”**

Dell nodded to them, though it was clear the question was directed at Spy.

Some part of Spy was surprised that Dell did this with three people. But maybe he shouldn't be surprised at all. Every interaction included Pyro. The mysterious mercenary was present for each ‘date’ so far. Of course Dell would enjoy their company for this. A three-way was nothing to scare away a true French gentleman, Spy reminded himself.

He signed, **“Yes,”** and stated, "Of course. You told me you are close, I'm starting to understand how close." He slipped off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt.

Pyro signed a quick **“thank you,”** before staying quiet again. They didn't want to distract or bother the two of them or interrupt this show of beautiful shapes and bodies, and soon colours, that performed only for them.

It was strange for Spy to be the only person becoming naked in the room. But his watch was carefully adjusted for the possibility he would be naked. It perfectly hid every terrible scar or blemish he chose and only showed a careful selection of handsome scars. Graphic and fierce tattoos dotted his arm and shoulder on one side and his thigh on the other side. Some scars from a burn dotted his chest and a long graceful knife scar followed the lean lines of his stomach and stopped on his hip.

Dell admired Spy as he undressed. He was very handsome, and he was tempted to touch him, run his hand over his scars and tattoos. He was a little glad he wasn't undressing himself. Compared to Spy he was chubby and pale, far more scarred too. Which, given Spy’s career choice, was a little suspicious.

Taking the lube, Dell stood by the machine and gave Spy a little smile. "You want to open yourself up, or do you want help?"

Spy thought it sounded as if Dell was talking to a virgin. Spy wasn't that inexperienced. He knew to prepare himself for what this evening might become. But then the thin man noticed Dell taking in the view of his body. Tracing deep and beautiful knife scars and definitely noticing Spy's growing cock. One wanted to touch as much as the other wanted to be touched.

Spy sat on the edge of the leather padded seat and leaned back into the back rest. He bent a long leg and perched the heel under his bum and let his other leg spread out of the way to expose his entrance. "Open me up."

Dell nodded, taking the bottle of lube and slicking up his fingers. They were just as broad as the rest of him, but he assumed that Spy would be experienced enough to take them without a fuss. Approaching Spy, he licked his lips with a tiny bit of nervousness. They were really doing this. He was going to fuck Spy with his fingers and his machine. Putting the gunslinger gently on Spy's leg, Dell's other hand reached beneath him and he stroked a finger over his entrance, not pressing in yet, just testing how tight he was.

Spy rolled his hips forward, the small distance he could on the edge of the seat, to meet Engineer's fingers. His body accepted the pressure with almost no resistance. It was clear he prepared himself before he arrived here tonight. Presuming too much, maybe. And yet, here they were, with Engineer's wide fingers becoming wrapped by Spy's body.

Engineer let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding as his first finger was practically drawn into Spy by his first inner ring of muscle. He took his time working deeper, though by the feel of it he didn't need to go as slow as he was. He liked prepping, pressing into people and feeling them open up to him. It was satisfying. It wasn't long before he'd worked past the second knuckle of his first finger and was nudging a second finger in alongside it.

Silently, Pyro watched, though Dell was blocking their view of Spy a little. They didn't mind so much, they knew what he was doing. To be honest they were mostly interested in how their synesthesia would interpret any sounds Spy made. They knew from experience that often the colours and shapes changed wildly during sex. They were more fun to watch than the colours that came from people speaking.

The probing fingers brought a moan from Spy. His head rolled back and he lifted his hips to welcome the second finger. Spy's first soft moan sent a streak of purple through his usually wine-red colours. Pyro perked up a little.

"For a simple southern boy, you know what you're doing." Spy could only assume that Dell had very busy years at the University. His hands gripped at the padded seat suddenly when the fingers brushed his sensitive inner wall. He felt his body become tight around the fingers and then relax again. "You must have been popular," he moaned.

Dell laughed softly, curling his fingers in Spy, stroking at him firmly. He separated his fingers slightly, scissoring them and increasing the width that Spy had to accommodate. "I wouldn't say that, but my machines certainly were," he murmured. Spy was likely open enough for the toy, but Dell kept working at him a little longer, not wanting to stop. He knew how men, no matter how experienced, responded to his machines. This would be Engineer’s last time inside Spy’s body tonight, feeling that wonderful tight heat squeezing his fingers. After Spy was done being thoroughly fucked by the machine, it might be his last time feeling inside Spy at all.

Finally, Dell pulled his fingers free, slicked up the dildo and wiped the lube off his hand. He guided Spy down carefully to take just the head of the dildo, easing it into him. "Good?" he checked.

Spy hummed quietly at the emptiness when the fingers disappeared. He was eager to open up again and he gladly let Engineer guide him to the tip of the dildo. It entered him without issue and he stretched and squirmed on the seat in an attempt to push himself further onto the toy. It was teasing at his opening but denying him the rewarding fullness he wanted. He grunted a breathless "ah, please." Spy immediately shut his mouth, and realised how his legs were stretching out, pushing against nothing in attempt to lower himself down onto the toy. Spy took a deep breath to compose himself and nodded, "Yes, good. I'm ready."

Dell looked pleased as he saw Spy trying to press the toy deeper, unable to do anything to fill himself the way he wanted. He took the remote in his hands and turned the machine on. He started slowly, the dildo sliding up and down smoothly in Spy, filling him up and then pulling out almost entirely. The pace was excruciatingly slow, but Dell wanted to hear Spy ask for more before he gave it to him. It was an intoxicating part of dominance. It made him feel powerful, hearing how much someone wanted him and his machines.

Spy arched his back as the toy filled him and he moaned again. He was glad for the slow movements at first while he adjusted. But soon he was frustrated by how slow the machine was. He was so close to being properly fucked, every part of his body was waiting for quick thrusts to fill him and massage his prostate. He lifted his hips and rocked with the toy to fuck himself on it, but he couldn't be too eager. It nearly pulled out completely at the end of every rotation and if he wriggled away he might lose the penetration completely.

As he watched the toy working in and out, the Engineer couldn't help but reach out and stroke his flesh and blood hand over Spy's thigh.

Dell's hand on his thigh brought a gasp from his throat. Pyro was enjoying the occasional streak of blue and purple from each noise Spy made, the bottom of their mask resting in their hand.

Spy's hand fumbled to grab at the warm hand, squeezing it briefly then fumbling up his arm to grip the material of his red shirt. Spy was trying very hard to still speak with composure and not sound like he was begging. "Mmm, _oui_. Your machine can be gentle, but can it be fast and hard?"

Dell slid his hand up and over the other man’s thigh, loving the feel of his skin. Spy gripped his shirt despite trying to seem composed, he looked like he was coming apart with sexual need, and Dell smiled. “Of course it can,” he chuckled, speeding it up a couple notches. It began to pump into Spy faster.

Spy reacted immediately, rocking his body downward and trying to move with the thrusts and then trying to meet them. He shouted abruptly and ended it immediately with a hand over his own mouth.

Pyro's vision suddenly blossomed in a kaleidoscope of iridescence, but then it cut off abruptly as Spy covered his mouth. Pyro gave a little whine at the loss of the beautiful images. They always liked hearing/seeing people in ecstasy, but Spy's sounds were more colourful than anyone they’d seen before!

His body was responding quickly. His cock was hard and leaking. Spy would push his hips forward to urge the Engineer to touch him there, but he stayed in place to let the toy pump into his body. The Engineer's words echoed in his mind, giving him the idea that this wasn't the full power setting.

Finally he grinned with bravery and asked, "How fast?"

Dell ran his hand down to take Spy's cock in his hand, stroking a few times before pausing as Spy asked if he could go faster. He couldn't help a grin. "You wanna find out?" he asked, thumbing the dial on the remote further up until it was fucking Spy hard and fast, in the way only a relentless machine could. Once the machine had gotten up to speed, Dell grabbed the bottle of lube, put a little in his hand and took Spy's cock in hand again, trying to match the speed of the machine with his strokes.

Spy was quickly coming undone. Every concern and care was slipping away. If he was ever worried that the Pyro wanted to sit and watch, the worry was gone now. If he was handling Dell with care, planning every action and every word to always be perfectly well composed and handsome, he was acting impulsively now.

His legs stretched and squirmed again, trying to work with or against the machine. But there was nothing he could do but be thoroughly and deeply fucked at the pace of the machine. The thought made the Spy's legs stop squirming and his cock throb.

On impulse, his hand released the seat he was desperately holding onto with whitened knuckles, to grab Dell. With one hand still pulling and twisting at Dell's sleeve, undoing the neat fold on his elbow, the other hand cupped the back of his neck and pulled him into a hard kiss.

Watching Spy dissolve into pleasure was a treat for Dell. Spy’s legs flexed and he seemed to struggle against the machine before relaxing into the ride and letting it fuck him deep and hard. He was dragged into a rough kiss and submitted to it immediately, his gunslinger gently cupping Spy's head. His hand stayed wrapped around Spy's cock, although his strokes slowed just a little.

Pyro huffed. Spy was being so quiet. They wanted to see more of those colours and patterns erupt from him. Not that they weren't enjoying the view as it was, Dell and Spy kissing as Spy was fucked by Dell's machine, but it wasn't quite the same.

Spy moaned into the kiss and melted from the gentle scratch of the American's well-groomed face with evening stubble. But the metal fingers of the gunslinger pushed him almost off the edge. He pressed into the kiss to try to stifle a loud moan, then broke away. He felt the immense pressure of climax building up in his groin, and a unhindered scream of pleasure ready to come with it. Some part of himself was aware of the walls of the garage and distrusted that they could mute his sounds. He was the distrusting type.

Spy gasped and forced out the words when he could find his breath, "I'm- I- Dell, kill it. I'm going to scream if I cum like this. Kill the machine."

Dell kept his gunslinger on the back of Spy's head, not pulling on his mask, just holding him. He gasped a little as Spy pulled away from the kiss. Spy begged him to stop the machine and for a moment he almost did, until Spy's reason came out.

Dell just smiled, wickedly. "Oh, you're not getting out that easy. No one's gonna hear you except for us. I want you to cum screaming." He slid the gunslinger down Spy's neck.

"I've got one speed faster. Do you want it?" Dell asked, pushing Spy up against the cushioned backrest with the gunslinger now, pinning him with enough force that Spy would have to fight to move away. His organic hand continued to pleasure Spy, though a part of Dell was tempted to get on his knees and take him in his mouth instead. Maybe next time. If there was a next time.

Pyro perked up again at Spy's words. They were glad Dell was pushing him further. They desperately wanted to hear him scream.

Spy gasped and struggled to put words together. His hands grabbed and pulled at Dell, well groomed nails scraping his skin lightly through the red shirt, only trying to find a place to hold on while this ride continued to amaze him. He couldn't say anything before he tipped over the edge, announcing his climax before it came with a loud, unstoppable scream. He gasped in a hard and deep breath and screamed again with his climax.

It was good that Dell's gunslinger pressed the Spy into the seat. Spy was arching his back and all of his muscles were flexing and straining, if he was not held in place he might have unwillingly pulled away from the toy pounding this pleasure into him. White strings of semen ejaculated into Engineer's palm and splattered the undone sleeve of his shirt. Spy's body started to relax and a final weaker scream emitted, torture-like pleasure teasing his after-sex nerves.

Spy never responded to his question, but Dell thought it was for the best that he hadn't gone to the highest setting. Spy was already completely undone.

Pyro watched as Spy's cries spread out around him like the fanning of a peacock's tail. The colours warped from red to purple, with streaks of bright blues and greens. They felt like they could reach out and touch them and they let out a little sound of pleasure.

After Spy came, Dell released him, slowing the machine down before stopping it entirely, he knew that it started to feel ruthless and cruel to continue after someone had cum. He made sure the mechanism stopped at its lowest point, helping Spy up enough that it no longer impaled him. He grabbed a nearby cloth and wiped the cum from himself as best he could, and the remaining lube from both of them.

"You look like you could use a rest," Dell murmured, leaning in to press a kiss to Spy's masked forehead. "Mind if I carry you, or do you think you can walk?"

Spy covered his face, embarrassed by how undone he’d become. But putting the thin palm over his mouth now did nothing to hide the screams earlier. The European let his teammate move him and adjust him. The aftercare washed over him without him knowing exactly what was happening, but knowing he was cared for.

The kiss on his forehead made him smile but then the questions brought him back to awareness. Spy didn't want to be rejected now. He was naked and thoroughly fucked and completely exposed. He could not flirt shamelessly with the Engineer and risk being turned down now. But he couldn't ignore that he was brought to the most intense climax of his life and did not do the same for his partner. "Oh, Dell. You let you machine have of all the fun?" He stroked the man's flesh and blood hand. Spy decided the gentle offer was enough to let Dell know he was ready to include his needs.

Dell stroked a hand over Spy's head gently, smiling. "I wouldn't say no, but I think you might need a minute to recover. And we'll be more comfortable in bed," he suggested, inviting Spy into the private room he had never seen before.

Pyro hopped up from their chair, gathering up Spy's clothes carefully and then trotting ahead to unlock the keypad and open a door in the very back of the workshop.

Originally the room had been for storage, equipped only with shelves, but the two of them had made it into a nice little bedroom.

Engineer helped Spy up and scooped him up in his arms, bridal style. "Hope you don't mind, you look a bit unsteady," he said. He went sideways through the door to avoid hitting Spy's head on the doorway.

Spy took a breath to protest against being carried. Moreso, he did not want to be dropped or shaken- but it was clear that the sturdily built man was strong enough to carry him without issue.

The little room gave away far more information about the two of them than the nearly spotless workshop. It was a treasure trove for a curious Spy.

One side was clearly Engineer's; there were books piled high by the bed, plus notebooks and pens, and a little writing desk covered in papers. There was a map of the bases pinned over the desk with little marks made across it.

Pyro's side was far more brightly coloured. There were drawings pinned all over the wall, and a soft pink unicorn toy on the floor, and what looked like scrapbooks or photo albums. Next to Pyro's side of the bed was a half mask, just the respirator part without anything to cover the eyes or head.

Spy’s eyes explored every detail of the room. Every trait of their personalities was here and permitted to have their space. But the harmony didn't exist. It was clear to see that while they shared everything they continued to be two separate people and not a couple.

The Engineer's side was not as tidy as he expected. But he was wrong to assume the Engineer lived the same way as it looked when he locked away everything to prepare for a guest. The Pyro's side was saccharine. He didn't expect anything so sweet. And so much pink!

Spy saw a vase of white and yellow flowers from their previous date and smirked, and then noticed the gas mask next to them. He tried not to state but was curious when Pyro chose to wear that. It would show their face. Not all of it but enough to recognise his teammate and know there was a human beneath that mask.

Dell deposited Spy on his side of the bed, gently. Pyro went around and sat on their side, putting Spy's clothes down carefully.

The Spy settled into the bed and stretched past Pyro for his belongings to retrieve a cigarette. He brought the unlit cigarette to his lips and looked at Pyro directly, "Will you? I'm sure you have a match."

Pyro happily grabbed a box of matches from their bedside table and lit one for Spy. He'd requested matches, not a lighter, so that's what they used. Maybe it made a difference for cigarettes? They didn't know. They pulled off their socks and tossed them at the basket in the corner of the room.

Spy signed, **“Thank you,”** and relaxed, although he kept a wary eye on the lit match while Pyro held it.

Pyro stubbed the match out against their suit and tossed it in a small ashtray. Engineer was understandably fussy about matches on the bed or floor and Pyro was usually careful.

Engineer shifted Spy over enough that they could all share the bed, taking off his own boots and his shirt, getting comfortable before putting an arm under the exhausted man, letting Spy rest his head against his shoulder.

"Not sure you want to spend the night, the bed ain't the biggest, but you're welcome," Engineer was a little surprised at himself. Their room was far more private than the workshop, but he felt comfortable having Spy in here. Especially in his current state, naked and weak from being fucked.

Engineer distracted Spy and he looked over his shoulder to see his face and settle in. "I doubt these beds were planned for three grown mercenaries. But it isn't terrible." He fought off a yawn and said, "I'll go when I'm more composed." Simply relaxing as he was, he was not in any pain from the machine. But he was sure that if he decided to leave now, he would walk like a man who was fucked thoroughly in the ass.

"You don't sleep in that suit, do you?" Spy finally asked the Pyro.

At Spy's question, Pyro shook their head, then shrugged. They stood and signed something too quick for Spy to catch before gathering a few things and leaving the room. There was a small WC attached to the workshop proper and they headed there.

"Want anything? I can get you some water?" Engineer offered him.

The Spy was becoming heavier on Engineer's shoulder, fully resting his head now. He shook his head, refusing Dell's offer for a drink or anything else, " _Non_ , stay here, please," he murmured.

Before the Pyro returned, the Spy was asleep. He was so truly spent he slept through the movement of the Pyro getting into the bed.

They weren’t wearing their suit. They still had their mask on, but otherwise they were wearing colourful candy-print pyjama pants and a large hooded sweatshirt with a little balloonicorn on the chest. It was too big for them. It would easily have fit a big man like the Demo. The sleeves covered most of their hands and the hem of it came down almost to Pyro’s thighs. There wasn’t any more skin visible than what Spy had seen before.

Engineer made a lazy half-smile at the concealed appearance of the Pyro. With one arm under the Spy's head, there was plenty of arm to welcome the Pyro closer. "Wrap yourself up in that blanket and come here, Firebug." He spoke softly, aware of the sleeping Spy and sure that if the man woke up, he would dress himself and disappear for the night. He slipped a hand under the Pyro's hood to pet their head through the material of the mask and support their head in his palm. "Well, what do you think? Are you coming with me to his smoking room when he invites us? You ready to see more?"

Pyro slid in on Spy's other side, tucking in warmly. They liked seeing Spy like this, completely relaxed. It was nice. They nodded to Engineer, nuzzling into his hand. They wanted to go with him, to see Spy's room and to see what the two of them would get up to without the machine to help.

Their own eyes were starting to drift shut and they lay their head on the pillow. Before they fell asleep they rolled to put their back to Spy, trying to give him as much space as they could. They still weren’t sure how comfortable he was with them.  
  
Soon enough, Dell was snoring softly, his usual amber colour muted to a darker ochre. 


	9. Embers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a short one, but important

Spy woke up when the shoulder under his head moved. The arm started to close around him and he sat up fully while reaching for his knife- which was absent. He watched as Dell scratched his cheek in his sleep and unfolded his arm again with a heavy, dreamy, sigh.

Spy glanced around the dark room and realised he fell asleep when he planned to only rest. He saw soft light coming through the door and knew it was early morning. He started to move off the bed and he was careful not to move the Pyro.

In their sleep, their clothing had moved, and Spy's eyes went to a patch of stark white skin. Spy stared at the soft curve of their hip, a graceful bone between curvy fat below and muscle above. Curiosity almost tempted the Spy to lift the sweatshirt further to see more. But he felt the familiar fabric around his face and knew that neither person bothered him when he slept. He couldn't bother the sleeping Pyro now. He stepped off of the bed without touching Pyro.

The bed shifted as weight left it, and Pyro stirred. Their hand went to their face as though to rub at their eyes, but they only hit the lenses of their mask. They sat up, finally turning enough to see Spy. They pushed the hood off their mask so it wouldn't block their view and the bottom hem of their sweatshirt fell back down over their hip, covering that little patch of skin Spy had seen.

Tugging their sleeves down far enough that they could sign properly, they signed to him, silently, **"Good morning."**

They hadn't expected Spy to stay the night! They'd sort of thought he'd disappear out of the bed before anyone woke up. He was a spy, after all. But they also knew the effect of Engineer's machine. It was hard to stay awake after a night like that.

The Spy stilled when the Pyro sat up, but relaxed and returned the gesture, **"Good morning."** He returned to smoothing out each piece of his clothing and then putting it on.

Spy glanced at the mask again and wanted to comment that the Pyro slept in it. But he knew the Pyro would comment in return that the Spy slept with his mask. It could be easy to believe the Pyro wasn't human at all, but Spy saw that naked, white, freckled hip, and those scarred hands with painted nails. He knew they were human, and simply bizarre.

Pyro was looking forward to taking off their mask and washing their face, as well as cleaning the inside of the mask. This one was not meant for sleeping in and they were far too warm anyway from sleeping clothed. If this kept up they'd have to start getting more comfortable around Spy, at least enough to wear their half mask.

Spy buttoned his shirt and let the Pyro watch him. In between each piece of clothing he used his empty hands to sign. **"The bed is small. Did you sleep well?"** He put on his slacks. **"Did you have fun last night?"**

Pyro nodded at his first question, then signed back at the second. **"Yes, I loved it. You too?"** They both signed silently, not wanting to wake Dell.

Spy nodded while tying his tie. There was no denying that he loved it. He couldn't remember if he was ever fucked so thoroughly before. It was easily the most intense climax he’d ever enjoyed.

He realised then that he completely forgot to care for Dell's needs. It was an embarrassing mistake that he expected from a young man experimenting with giving and receiving pleasure. Not the mistake of an international man of mystery and master of seduction. He decided he needed to fix that when he engaged in these activities with Dell again. He must make it worth the wait.

He slid his coat on then signed, **"Do you like to only watch? Do you want to join us?”**

Pyro seemed to start a few different signs, before finally shrugging. It was a complicated question.

They didn't want to sleep with Dell. They loved each other but didn't have that kind of relationship. But they were interested in Spy... who they weren't sure returned the feeling. For now they were happy to watch, but there was no guarantee they wouldn't get frustrated and jealous if this continued. Also, enjoying those things with Spy would involve a little more courage than they currently had. They weren't ready for him to see them naked, or even to see their face with the half-mask, with the thick scars across their cheeks and down their neck clearly visible around it.

 **"Would you want me to?"** seemed the only obvious response to them.

Spy watched curiously at the signs without understanding them, and then realised Pyro couldn't decide the words. The European smiled and waited patiently for them to decide on some words while he slipped his feet into his shoes. He wished he could speak. He was not fluent with sign language in any region, and could not express his thoughts as easily as he did with words. But the Engineer was fully asleep and he didn't want to disturb that.

He went to the door and curled his finger to summon the Pyro to follow.

Pyro followed him, glad the Spy wanted them to come out anyway. They would have followed him either way, not wanting to leave him alone in the workshop yet. Though Pyro was less concerned about their own things, they knew Dell was worried Spy would get into his blueprints.

They closed the bedroom door quietly. Dell didn't even stir.

The Spy went to the workbench and collected his gloves while he spoke. His voice was soft, too soft to pass through the door and wake Dell. Soft enough to force Pyro to follow closely. "It doesn't bother me if you like to watch. It doesn't bother me if you want to come closer."

Spy took a cloth from his coat and wiped down the machine carefully to remove anything from their previous night.

He learned so much about Dell. The difference was large, between the shy boy telling him to slow down and the grinning man pumping his cock and making him scream. It seemed that much changed only when the Spy stopped trying to get into the Engineer's clothes and let the other man get into his.

"Does Dell prefer it when you participate?" He brought the heavy sheet over the machine to cover it again.

Pyro followed just a foot behind Spy, then sat on the edge of the nearest work table, legs swinging. They waited until Spy had covered the machine and turned back to face them before starting to sign.

 **"Dell and I don't have sex. I don't know how I would join you two."** Dell’s name was signed with a D and the gesture for engineering.

Truthfully, they could think of a few ways, but they weren't sure Spy would want matches put out on him, or like Pyro holding him down. And they'd never tried sex with anyone other than Dell, they weren't entirely sure how it would work out here.

They did want to try. Eventually.

 **"It depends if you like fire?"** At the end of the sign was a quick gesture for doubt.

Dell no longer let them burn him, which Pyro understood. Much of their sexuality was entwined with fire and it could be difficult to separate. But most people found fire frightening and uncomfortable.

The question made the scar on his neck burn, a simple B burned into his flesh, where his pulse was. He was never excited by fire or eager to experiment with it sexually. But after he met the Classic Pyro and how she used fire, he was almost fearful. It wasn't a surprise that the Pyro was interested in fire though. "It depends on the way _you_ like fire." He stepped away from the machine, closer to them. "Do you like it on your skin? Does it excite you to imagine the burning end of my cigarette on you?" He reached past Pyro to take the bottle of wine and glasses, and go to the door.

Pyro nodded, they did love to be burned. **"I like both - burning and being burned."**

Dell didn't like to play with fire at all anymore, but it sounded like Spy might at least want to burn them, which was something. Pyro couldn't help a little gesture of excitement.

Spy should expect the Pyro liked both. He tried to evade talking about burning himself. He didn't want to deny them, but also could not commit yet. But of course the Pyro was honest and direct. No vague statements from them.

Spy dodged the subject again with a smirk, "Ah, you're flexible. That's good, I like that in a partner."

Pyro made a little sound of amusement at Spy's comment. Of course he did.

He stepped out the door and turned around, "Pyro, that sign you made..." He repeated Pyro's name for Dell as much as he could while carrying things. "That's how you call him?"

They nodded, repeating the sign, slower. **"You like it?"** Engineering was a surprisingly cute sign, Pyro had always liked it.

Spy watched closely and nodded, "I like it. It suits him." With a nod to excuse himself, he left, perfectly dressed and tidy with no indication how he spent the night, and leaving behind no clue that he was ever there.


	10. Flare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's easier to get more involved when one of you can't see
> 
> Sketch by Wireskull (wireskull.tumblr.com)

 

Dell knocked on the door to Spy’s smoking room, looking over at Pyro who was practically squirming on the spot. “You ok, Firebug?”

They nodded. They were excited to see Spy’s room, and hopefully see those beautiful colours from him again.

Spy cleared his throat and announced, "Come in." His hands were busy with a candle in one hand and a match in the other. A few lit candles were placed around the room and a few more, without fire. He assured them, "Don't worry, I'm not sprinkling rose petals after these are candles are done. I'm just welcoming the present company." He looked at Pyro.

It was a huge sign of trust to let them into his personal room, and with fire also! Spy was certain that he looked calm, and he certainly wanted to appear calm. But his heart was racing.

The room was welcoming enough- assuming the guest appreciated the atmosphere of a smoking room. Sweet smells of flavoured tobacco hung in the air. The chairs were all soft leather. The desk smelled like lemon and pine. Books filled the shelves of an entire wall. A bottle of Scotch and some glasses were on a small table between seats.

"Please, come in. Relax." He killed the match between gloved fingers.

Dell looked around with a little grin. The place suited Spy to a T. And the candles for Pyro were a nice touch. “Thanks,” he made himself comfortable in one of the cushy chairs, looking over the titles of the books.

The books were mostly in French. Some were in different languages and allowed a glimpse of how cultured the Spy was: Russian, German, Hebrew, Chinese. And then a collection of newer books, only a few, but all in English and clearly they were study books to learn sign language.

Engineer was so pleased to see Spy's new books, he almost said something. But Engineer often noticed more about the secretive man than he probably wanted to show. He would let Spy pretend he learned the language effortlessly, without studying at all. The amount of effort he was putting into his friendship with Pyro said to Dell that this was a real friendship, beyond just Spy trying to get into Dell's good books.

Pyro signed a quick **“Hello,”** before pulling off their boots and gloves and leaving them by the door. The candles flickered and lit the room with their favourite kind of light and they felt the kind of peace only fire could bring them. They joined Dell, though not sitting still, too excited and unsure of what would happen and too excited by every little gilded trinket in the room to even keep their hands to themself.

Spy finally returned while signing, **"Good evening. Excited?"** He relaxed into an elegant chair, his long legs almost touching Dell's due to how near the seats were. "Pyro and I discussed some things we might do tonight."

Pyro nodded, their hands repeating the sign for excitement.

Dell chuckled. "Is that so? Firebug might have mentioned that you two talked about fire. You'd rather burn them than be burned, I'm guessing?" Most people would, in Dell's opinion. "Was there anything else you had planned?"

" _Non_." He took a cigarette from a wooden box and leaned towards Pyro. He made the sign for fire.

Pyro's lighter was out in the blink of an eye and lit, held out for Spy. They didn't want to put the flame too close to him, they wanted him to close the last of the distance.

"It seemed to me that you like having a little more control than simply doing whatever I suggest."

Dell nodded. Spy was right. He did like to have a little more control of what was going on.

Spy relaxed back, breathing deeply from the cigarette and adding to the thick atmosphere of the room. "And of course, it is difficult to plan anything when I don't truly understand your relationship. You are inseparable... and yet you are not lovers."

Spy got straight to the heart of things. The Engineer smiled a little, looking at Pyro. "It's, ah," he ran his fingers over the back of the gunslinger thoughtfully. "It's not the most normal relationship. We're platonic. We tried more once before, but it wasn't quite right."

Pyro gave a quick sign. **"Soulmates."**

Dell nodded. "Yeah. We're always gonna be together, and we love each other. But not sexually." He shrugged. "Does that clear it up or make it more confusing?"

The Spy couldn't understand a relationship like this, but he couldn't judge either. This was the most complicated love triangle that he had ever put himself in the middle of. "Complicated suits us. We are not simple men."

Dell gave him a relieved smile. It wasn't easy for most people to understand his relationship with Pyro. And most people didn't bother to try. "True enough," he agreed. "This is new territory in a lot of ways, for everyone. Puts us on an even footing that way, I'd think."

Dell still didn't entirely trust Spy's intentions. He liked the man, genuinely. And more than just because he was handsome and charming. He was surprisingly sweet, even when he was tryiing to hide it behind suave confidence. Engineer liked that Spy was willing to let go of control, and he was quick to pick things up from the two of them and adjust accordingly. Maybe that should have made him more suspicious but he couldn't help liking the man for it.

Pyro, on the other hand, trusted Spy far more. He was attentive and kind and Pyro was smitten with his looks from the start. They knew Dell didn't trust him alone in their workshop, but that was ok. They'd take care of their things, hide their secrets for now. Just because they trusted him enough to sexualise him didn’t mean that they needed to share their secrets quite yet. But they didn't truly think Spy was after any of that.

Though they trusted him, and liked him, they were still a little afraid to show him their face and body. They weren't sure Spy would like, or even tolerate them after that. And they couldn’t face that.

They’d felt oddly disconnected from their own body lately, spending far more time in their suit. It made them feel like they weren’t a person, that they were just the suit. They had loved being naked and they had always been shameless, but now they felt tentative. The suit was what Spy knew, was who Spy knew, in some ways. What if he didn't like what was underneath?

Dell glanced at Pyro before continuing. "Firebug ain't usually interested in people sexually, but I think they are with you." He waited for a moment, looking sideways at Pyro.

Pyro nodded. They could feel their face heating up under the mask and they were glad no one could tell.

"This presents a challenge," Spy agreed, "How do we become intimate, respecting that your relationship is platonic." He tilted his head back to release ribbons of smoke in the air, "Dell, isn't this your expertise? You ‘solve problems'." He said in an impression of Dell's Texan accent. Pyro thought it was funny; when Spy mimicked Dell, the colour of Spy’s voice changed to something orangey. It was between amber and red, somehow.

"I do know one thing." He straightened his tie and smiled confidently, "I owe you the best orgasm of your life. After the evening’s events you treated me with, I apologise for falling asleep before doing something in return for you."

Dell gave Spy a look when he mimicked his accent, then laughed. "We've ...sort of shared, before. They like being around when I have people on my machines, and for whatever might happen before or after. Once in awhile they've gotten involved, with fire or holding someone down."

The two of them had really only had one experience where someone allowed Pyro to put a few matches out on his skin while Dell fucked him. Pyro had been past excitement and straight into ecstasy. They knew they liked playing with fire and other people, but it was mostly just a fantasy.

Unlike the Classic Pyro, they required consent.

The Engineer looked pleased at Spy's offer, waving his hand. "No need to apologise, it's not the first time one of my machines has put an experienced man right to sleep," he reached over and put a hand on the European's thigh, gently. "But I'll take you up on that."

Spy was glad there were options for how the Pyro chose to express intimacy. They didn't only use fire. Spy rarely let a partner restrain him or pin him down. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy it- but it was a bad practice to follow for someone who is slippery by profession. But he would do it. He didn't believe that watching them from a distance was enough to satisfy Pyro for long.

Spy watched the metal hand on his knee. The weight of it was thrilling, and every moving detail showed the complexity of a simple gesture such as closing around the shape of Spy's thigh. "I'm willing to try the latter," he answered. "We can resume our activities whenever you're ready to pin me down, Pyro." He smirked at them and winked.

Pyro nodded. They'd wait for awhile, see how Dell and Spy wanted to play before deciding if and how they wanted to join them. They were excited to see those beautiful colours again.

Dell squeezed just a little, giving Spy a taste of the strength of his metal hand. He was always careful with the gunslinger. It could break bones, and had before. But it could also hold an egg without breaking it. "Where do you want to do this?" Engineer's voice was low and sweet.

The Spy took the gunslinger into his hand and nearly purred, " _Suis moi_."

Engineer chuckled, following him. He liked having the gunslinger touched, appreciated the contact. He couldn't feel it well, only in pressure along what remained of his forearm, but he could feel it.

The idea for his bedroom matched the Engineer's. He used an attached room that was possibly a large closet to keep chairs and tables for this room. But he hid the door well. Spy gripped the top of a framed painting on the wall and pulled it. A clear - _click_ \- proved a door was unlocked. He pulled the bookcase and let it come open like a large swinging door. The engineering of this was all very simple, and possibly existed when the Spy found it. But how the Spy disguised it to suit his tastes and hide where he slept was clearly the art of the Spy.

Dell appreciated the mechanism of the hidden room, it was disguised well enough that someone would really have to be looking to find it.

Pyro hesitated to follow. The room was small with nowhere for them to sit and watch except the bed. Spy had invited them to touch, though, so surely sitting on the bed would be alright.

The room perfectly matched the Spy. It showed more of his love for fine things, and spoiling himself. The bed sheets were impossibly soft. The air smelled of cologne. The indirect lights made a soft warm glow through the room.

Spy put his suit coat on his dresser and sat on the edge to unknot his tie. "I can tell you what lewd acts I want to commit with you- but because this is your turn to be spoiled I'll ask first; do you have something in mind?"

Dell began to unbutton his shirt, pulling it off. Though he still felt a bit chubby compared to Spy -which he was, there was no denying that- he'd never truly been shy about his body. Spy had shown every interest in him, and he knew what Dell looked like. "Honestly, I'm curious to see what you had in mind when you said the best orgasm of my life," Dell suggested, "I'm sure you know what you're doing." He gave Spy a wink, grinning.

Pyro sat at the foot of the bed, tucking their feet up under themself. Hopefully this was close enough, but not in the way. Spy's sheets were so soft, and they couldn't help running their hand over the material, letting it slide through their fingers.

The Spy grinned and was made bold by the wink. " _Oui_ , close the door, and come here." The suggestion was like a challenge, and it stroked the Spy's self-competitive streak. He had considered what interests this man might have. He made scenarios and played out evenings together in his mind. He didn't need to meditate to find his ideas.

While the Engineer closed the door, Spy patted the place beside him, near the top of the bed, welcoming Pyro much closer. "I have something in the nightstand, if you think you prefer to leave your suit and mask on the floor." Spy told Pyro as they came up the bed. He let the Pyro investigate, if they liked the offer.

Spy turned his attention to the Engineer to remove the remainder of Dell's clothing with one hand, and his own clothing with the other.

Pyro slid up to where Spy invited them, peeking into the nightstand. They found a length of silky black fabric and it only took them a second to realize what Spy was suggesting. If Spy was blindfolded, they could take off their suit and he couldn't see them. They hesitated for a long moment. If they were going to do this, they'd want to keep their mask on. They hadn't brought their respirator and it was uncomfortable for them to be without one or the other.

When Spy and Dell got back on the bed, Pyro just held the blindfold in their lap for a moment, wanting to see where they were headed before blindfolding Spy. Maybe he'd need to see at first.

Dell left his clothes on the floor and welcomed the other naked man into his arms. Spy was taller, tall enough that Dell found it easier to press a kiss to the man's masked jawline.

"A blindfold?" Dell confirmed, glancing over at what Pyro had pulled out of the nightstand. "Clever. What do you think, Firebug?"

Pyro nodded. **"When Spy is ready,"** they signed, using a personal sign for Spy instead of just signing the word 'spy'. It was the letter S followed by the sign for knife.

Spy was pleased with himself, and happy for the praise. He let his roaming hands squeeze at Dell's body briefly with excitement. " _Oui_. I don't need to see to know exactly how to take care of you, _mon grand_." He stretched his neck to see Pyro with the cloth in their lap. "I only need a few seconds to appreciate what I see now." Spy grinned and slapped the Engineer's ass cheek that was in his groping hand.

A thought occurred to Pyro and they touched Spy's bare arm gently to get his attention, waiting until he'd turned to sign, **"Promise no cameras?"**

The gentle strike of Spy's hand on his ass drew a grin from the Engineer. Dell's own hands were wandering over Spy's skin in return, but he waited for Pyro to ask their question. He shifted on the bed and sat up against the headboard, not sure what exactly what Spy had in mind, but wanting to be comfortable

Spy was almost surprised the Pyro implied there could be cameras. Although anyone could assume Spy was a man with many lovers, he certainly never allowed it to be documented with photos or videos. But maybe to Pyro this only looked like the perfect opportunity to collect blackmail. Spy nodded while he took a final drag from his cigarette and pinched the cherry between his fingers. "No photos. No videos."

The Spy stretched past Pyro to place the cigarette on the ground and savour the smoke on his tongue one more moment. His hands roamed up Dell's legs and his eyes followed. Although the Spy had a coat full of fancy gadgets and peculiar weapons, for sex he didn’t rely on tools (luckily, because those tools would probably not compare to the fucking machine). Spy simply used skills from years of experience and many many sexual partners.

Pyro nodded, taking Spy at his word. They trusted him. They had just seen many cameras around the base and had no idea if they were something they might find in Spy's private room. Spy stubbed out the cigarette thoughtlessly and Pyro watched the bright cherry of it disappear with a little disappointment. Spy had mentioned putting a cigarette out on their skin and they had hoped that might happen tonight.

Spy's hand wrapped around the cock and squeezed it with appreciation. He was pleased to find it was broad, and blunt, like any other part of the Texan. "May I?" He asked as he raised his brow and tilted the cock towards his mouth. Spy waited patiently for the word before he wrapped his lips around the head. He slicked the cock with his tongue and cheeks as he guided it to his throat and swallowed it. He closed his eyes as if he was in peaceful meditation and he focused on refusing his gag reflex, and stopping his breath to hold the penis deeply in his mouth longer.

They watched Spy dip his head and take Dell's cock in his mouth. They watched Dell's face, delighted when he gave the first soft hints of a moan. Dell's voice was usually a beautiful amber colour, but during sex it lit up like gold. Their very first sexual experience had been with Dell, and they always loved watching his sounds brighten with pleasure.

The Texan gave a low groan, stroking his organic hand over the back of Spy's mask. Not controlling his motions, just resting there, stroking his thumb over the material affectionately. "Damn," he said, voice low with arousal. "You know how to keep a promise." There was a hint of amusement to his tone.

Spy's eyes opened to watch Dell's expression as he spoke. He was flattered, but he knew this was a great skill of his. More than just a skill, it was something he enjoyed. He loved the pleasant weight of the cock on his tongue, the scent of Dell's musk, the total awareness of the length when the head touched his throat and his lips reached the base. But more than that he loved to hear the sounds of pleasure and know that he was fully responsible for each beautiful cry. If his lover was an instrument, Spy was a musician. While his mouth worked, his hands searched for the hidden strings for playing with Dell's pleasure. His palms ran up Dell's torso and felt the broad muscles there, appreciating his body and his strength and fully praising him without words.

Dell's thoughts were scattered; there was only the pleasure of Spy's mouth, his roaming hands, his eyes looking up to meet Dell's. He was vocal, letting out groans and sighs and murmurs of encouragement. Pyro had always enjoyed the synesthesia side of Dell's pleasure, and so he'd never learned the art of keeping quiet.

Pyro's world was thick with golden honey and the sounds Dell and Spy were making. They gave a whimper of happiness.

Dell gripped the headboard with his gunslinger, trying to keep his grip loose enough not to break or dent anything. He rarely trusted the gunslinger on someone's body when he was having sex. One squeeze too hard, and they'd both regret it. He didn’t really think he would, he never had before, but most people didn’t want the metal hand on them anyway. He gave a shaky breath. "You were wanting Pyro to pin you down?" he confirmed, trying to push Pyro into the mix.

Spy heard the metal fingers grip the wood headboard. He expected to see the clear lines of where the fingers gripped, later. If he was the type of man that made tally marks on his headboard for lovers, this would be the most interesting mark among them. Despite his words, Engineer didn't look like he wanted Spy's attentions to stop. Spy answered without needing to remove the cock from his mouth. Instead he used a hand to sign " **yes.** "

Waiting a moment for Spy to still, Pyro wrapped the soft length of fabric around Spy's eyes, tying it tightly behind his head. Once they were sure that Spy was blind, they got off the bed. With a little trepidation, they began to get out of their suit. Beneath they were wearing boxers and an undershirt and they hesitated a moment longer before stripping those off too.

Climbing back onto the bed, Pyro took Spy's hands from Dell's chest and guided them down to the bed, pinning him by the wrists. Their grip was strong and Spy would have to fight fiercely to free himself. Though he could also simply ask, Pyro only wanted to hold him down if that was what Spy wanted. Pyro's thigh pressed against Spy's, their shoulder next to his. He was touching more of Pyro than he’d ever seen.

Dell gave Pyro a grin, that quickly dissolved into a long groan. "There we go," he praised them both.

Curiosity gnawed at Spy’s mind. He wondered if Dell was watching them undress, if he watched them with a clever inspecting eye, or with a relaxed appreciation. Or maybe no look at all? What was the Pyro hiding to be so cautious of being seen or photographed? Pyro liked to point out that Spy was his equal in these strange mannerisms, but Spy doubted they had the same secrets to hide.

Spy stopped considering it when he felt the Pyro's skin on his own. They were warm, more than warm. Their skin was hot! It must be from the suit with insulation, but it made them feel like there was fire under their skin.

Next, Spy realized how strong the Pyro was. It let him imagine their muscular arms and shoulders, built out from carrying that large flamethrower for battle.

Spy felt their legs and stretched his own body beneath the Pyro. But he felt nothing more to imagine the shape of the body above him. He couldn't even feel a cock, hardened or soft, nudging Spy while he moved his body. Finally he knew he needed to let the mystery alone... for now. If the Pyro and Engineer let him keep his secrets, he didn't need to spoil theirs.

Pyro was careful of where Spy was allowed to touch, arching away a little when he got too close for comfort. They'd kept their mask on, not comfortable enough to take that off without something else to replace it. Spy felt cool next to them and it was a relief. They wanted more than anything to pull Spy away and flip him over, pin him down on his back. It was far more satisfying that way. But they didn't want to interrupt what Dell and Spy were doing, and they couldn't communicate with Spy right now anyway – not only were their hands busy, but Spy was blindfolded.

Spy commented, "I think this means Dell is speaking for all three of us." Spy's mouth would be full of cock, his eyes were covered, and Pyro’s hands were pinning thin wrists to the bed. Dell was the only one unhindered in communication. Luckily, Spy liked the sound of praise in the Texan's accent. Spy closed his mouth around the cock again and resumed his eager performance by sucking the head of the cock and working his way to the base.

Dell murmured his appreciation seeing Spy and Pyro together as they were. The two of them were both gorgeous in their own right, and together it was like a fantasy. Though he had no desire for Pyro sexually, he loved them and loved seeing them as they were happiest.

He groaned. "Gotta say, I'm loving this view. Gorgeous, the both of you," he praised, rubbing his hand down the back of Spy's neck and giving him a very gentle squeeze.

Spy had to believe Dell. His cock throbbed with excitement at the thought. He didn't plan to touch himself yet. If his hands were free he would ignore his needs and spoil Dell with his attention. And yet, when he knew he could not easily reach down to stroke himself, it made anticipation gather in the bottom of his stomach and nag for release.

He moaned around the cock to answer and agree. It was fully in his mouth again and he was sure the moan made rumbling vibration around the skin. He drew out the moan to let the sensation last and then changed to sucking.

Pyro spoke through their mask to Dell, not needing signs for him to understand what they wanted.

Dell chuckled, running a thumb over Spy's cheek. "As much as I'm loving this-" he paused as his breath caught in his throat when Spy's head dipped further down and his cock was swallowed deeper. "I wanna fuck you. I want you on your back under me." The Engineer asked partially for himself, he did want to fuck Spy the way his machine had the other night, but also to satisfy Pyro's request to change positions.

Spy continued swallowing the cock for a moment more. He was certain he made the Texan lose his words for a full second and the pride of that filled him. He lifted his head off the erection and answered, "Lubricant is in the drawer," while assuming Dell would open him up as cautiously again.

Spy twisted his hands briefly and found the Pyro's grip was solid. If he was changing his position, it was only with the Pyro moving with him. He turned his head slightly to address the Pyro behind him, "Ready to give him what he wants."

Once Dell was clear, sitting on the edge of the bed to dig out the lube, Pyro grabbed Spy by the hip and shoulder and bodily flipped him. As soon as he was on his back, they went up between the pillows, kneeling, one leg over each of Spy's arms, his head between their spread knees.

Dell chuckled to watch them. Pyro would likely enjoy wrestling with a lover, if they ever got to that point with Spy. He settled himself between the European's thighs, warming the lube on his organic fingers before gently breaching him.

Spy wasn't fighting the Pyro, but they didn't leave much ability to resist anyway. The knees on his arms didn't hurt him really. But he knew the hard angles on his soft flesh would create bruises by tomorrow. He didn't mind. He liked the pressure and he bent his elbows to rest his palms on Pyro's thighs. He didn't stroke or explore, he simply waited to be sure Pyro allowed this contact.

Pyro's hands gently stroked the back of Spy's, trying to show they appreciated the contact without being able to speak. They slid their hands down his shoulders, over the masked sides of his neck, just letting their fingers wander wherever they liked.

The gentle fingers opening Spy up drew a pleased sigh from him. He loved the wide and hard fingers and loved how careful Dell was with this activity. Spy couldn't see his face but he could guess the Texan enjoyed making a tight body relax and watching the little signs his partner was almost ready. His stomach fluttered when the fingers pressed deeply. His cock leaked a single drop of precum, and bobbed whenever Dell's fingers stroked his prostate.

"I'm ready," he murmured too soon. "Fuck me now, cowboy." His body moved with the fingers preparing him, wanting to feel the pressure deeper. He knew it was a little soon to be ready but he didn't mind biting back some discomfort for the thrill of having Dell inside him.

Dell raised an eyebrow when Spy said he was ready. He was still pretty tight, but if he said he wanted it, Dell had no problem giving it to him.

Putting Spy's legs over his, Dell had to shuffle in closer, unable to tug Spy down to meet him with Pyro holding him so fiercely. After slicking himself up, he lined his cock up with Spy's entrance and slowly pressed into him, taking his time to let him adjust.

"You good?" he grunted.

Dell's cock was larger than Spy realized, even after holding it in his mouth for so long. He was pushed to his limits but he didn't care. If anything, he almost loved the stretching that reminded him how fully spread open he was. He opened his mouth to answer and a gasp escaped first. He nodded and found the words, "yes, yes it's perfect!"

Dell gave a deep groan of pleasure, fucking Spy slowly to start with.

Pyro’s vision lit up in a rainbow as the two men voiced their appreciation. Spy’s royal purple streaked through Dell’s gold and they gave a happy murmur, their short fingernails digging into Spy’s shoulders.

Dell grinned to see Pyro so clearly enjoying their synesthesia. He’d always wondered what it was actually like to experience. Pyro tried to draw the colours and shapes but they never seemed satisfied with their reproductions.

Spy was tight around his cock and Dell gave a short gasp as he finally settled into Spy right to the base. “Yeah, that’s it,” he moaned, putting a big hand over Spy’s flat stomach. The gunslinger was tangled in the sheets right next to Spy’s hip.

The Spy arched his back and let his legs stretch out. The feeling was wonderful, and to be pinned to the bed added a wonderful psychological thrill to the moment. He gasped and sighed and murmured sweet and lewd things in French. But he wasn't making the sounds that escaped from him on the fucking machine. Here and now, he was fully in control of himself. Spy arched his back as one hand explored his stomach but ignored his cock. He shuddered as short nails scratched over his shoulders and he turned his head to graze his lips over Pyro's exposed wrist and praise " _Oui, comme ça_."

The Firebug shivered a little at the kiss on their wrist. Even something as small as that sent heat pooling in their belly and groin. Though they didn't understand the French, the kiss seemed to be a show of enjoyment and they drew their nails down Spy's chest a little harder.

Engineer continued to tease Spy for a little longer, before slicking up his hand and wrapping it around Spy's cock. He stroked him in time with his thrusts. He was far more vocal than Spy, any and all sounds right at the surface.

Pyro was still quite happy with their synesthesia, even if most of it was Dell's golden colours. They wanted Spy's, but at least the world was still lit up.

They eyed their suit. It was close, they could reach it if they leaned off the bed. There were matches in their little pouch and they wanted them, wanted to light them one by one and extinguish them on their own skin. A few moments of indecision stilled them before they abruptly leaned off of the bed, releasing one of Spy's arms briefly. But in an instant they were back, arranging him into the same position again.

Spy arched his back higher when the slick hand closed around his cock. He moaned through tightly shut lips and then closed his legs around the Engineer's hips to keep him near.

As soon as the hand was freed, Spy lifted it and stretched out to feel for his partners. Blind, he could only sweep without direction. He stopped as his fingers touched the gunslinger. Spy's hand stilled to stroke the long, cold, fingers with appreciation and then let Pyro take his hand up over his head again. He commented breathlessly, "Keeping your hands to yourself, _ingénieur_?"

Dell smiled to feel Spy's hand on the gunslinger. Carefully, he slid the metal hand up to Spy's hip. "That better?" He'd never had a partner besides Pyro who had really wanted him to touch them with the gunslinger. He was always careful with it, and paranoid about hurting anyone. But though it had enormous strength, it could be just as delicate as his other hand.

With a happy whine, Pyro lit the first match. Even the sound of it was arousing.

Spy could not conceal a gasp of surprise when he heard a match being lit. He was fully aware of Pyro and what they left the bed to do. But he heard the quiet hiss of a dying match and realized Pyro used it on themselves. Spy chuckled and grinned. It was exactly as Pyro said. They liked fire and burning. He tried to stifle himself further through the intense fucking only to listen to each happy sound Pyro made when a match touched their skin.

Pyro gave soft, wordless sounds, little gasps and whimpers. They loved the feel of fire against their skin. They left black ashy trails over their pale skin where the lit matches traced over them, and little white and red blisters where they stubbed the fire out. Laying the matchbox on its side, Pyro could get matches out and strike them one handed. Their other hand went between their thighs to slowly stroke at themself.

Dell was a little surprised, this was the most sexual Pyro had gotten with another partner besides him, ever, as far as he knew.

Spy felt so good around him, he'd tightened a little at the first scratch of the match against the emery, but he'd relaxed as soon as he realized who the match was intended for. Dell could really pound into him again now, his hand on Spy’s cock matching the pace of his hips.

Spy nodded with excitement. The cold metal against his hot flesh was the perfect contrast. It raised goosebumps on his skin and made him shiver and sweat. He was almost at his limit. He pushed back against Pyro's body pinning him down and felt again how vulnerable he was to the pleasure fucked into him. The idea sent a thrill of excitement through him and almost made him spill. He moaned as he resisted it. He twisted his hips as if he could shake off the hand pumping his cock. "I'll embarrass myself if I finish first again." He panted. "Keep fucking me _, s'il te plaît_. But stop your hand." He wanted to make himself last longer but he didn't want to miss the hard fucking at all. The man was vocal and warm and yet mechanical in his strong, deep, unhindered movements. Spy was in bliss between the two bodies pressing into him so differently.

Dell gave Spy a few more slower strokes before leaving off, giving him a break. He was getting pretty close himself. Watching Spy twist and arch under him sent a buzz of gratification down the back of his skull.

Pyro lit another match and immediately stubbed it out against their thigh. They gave a breathless gasp, head falling back. That sensation alone had tipped them over the edge before, but everything was much more intense with Spy held down between them and Dell. They liked feeling him move under them, struggle against their weight.

Dell's rhythm was starting to break down, he was getting closer to his climax. His thrusts became less calculated and methodical and a little more chaotic. He was getting louder too, crying out between sharp breaths. "I'm getting close," he warned.

Spy hooked his ankles together behind Dell's back as if to hold on tightly and prepare for the climax. Spy squeezed Pyro's legs as he turned his head. He was an affectionate man in bed. More affectionate than his cool and independent attitude implied. But now, feeling his partners both tremor and come so near the edge, he wanted them near.

The top of Spy's head touched Pyro's thigh and craned his neck to press his forehead to them. "Cum for me." He spoke to either partner or both, "Moan loudly and let me feel you tremble against me."

With Spy's legs tight around him, Dell managed a few more short and deep thrusts before cumming in him with a final cry of pleasure. He wrapped his hand back around Spy's cock and stroked him quickly, his gunslinger braced on Spy's leg.

Pyro pushed the matches aside, stroking their hand over the side of Spy's masked face, leaning a little harder on his arms as they felt Spy growing nearer to his orgasm. They knew at this rate they weren't going to finish with the other two, and they didn't want to keep them waiting. Reluctantly they stopped touching themself and instead scratched at Spy's chest again.

Spy's guarded nature lowered as he climaxed and lewd french demands poured from him starting at the moment Dell's hand wrapped around his cock. " _Oui, oui, plus fort_!" He groaned. " _Baise-moi!_ " The moment he felt the wetness at his hole, his body bucked underneath Dell, " _Je jouis_!"

Pyro was caught up in the beautiful colours of their two men cumming. Dell's gold splashed with the beautiful iridescence of purples and greens. Pyro briefly reached out as though to touch them, a little sound of happiness escaping them.

Spy spilled his seed on his own stomach and chest. A few wet droplets landed on his mask, though he was too much in bliss to notice it now. He kept his ankles locked until he was ready to release Dell and let him lay down and relax.

After a moment to catch his breath, Spy smiled and stared straight up at Pyro, as if seeing through the blindfold. " _Et toi?_ Let me take care of you." He wasn't sure how well he could light matches and excite the Pyro without seeing them. It wasn't a skill he ever considered to practice! But he never doubted his capabilities in bed.

Dell groaned, rolling to the side of Spy, not wanting to crush the thin man beneath his weight. He sat up enough to pull Spy into a kiss. With a bit of amusement, he wiped the drops of semen off Spy's mask as best he could.

Pyro felt an unexpected jolt of jealousy, watching the two of them kiss. It was one of the things their injury prevented, but they hadn't thought too much about what they were missing out on. It was as though it suddenly was thrust upon them that they could never have that. They pulled back from Spy, letting him have his arms back, and closed their box of matches.

They weren't exactly frustrated, more just unsure. They'd loved what the three of them had done, they'd loved watching Spy cum beneath them, touching him and feeling the burn of the matches. But they weren't ready for Spy to touch them, and they felt awkward being so far behind the other two.

Spy could feel the smile on Dell's lips. They were both fully spent and warm affectionate mood. He let the Texan pull him near and expected Pyro to reposition to be close to them again.

But the Pyro kept their distance.

Spy could only listen for the Pyro. He wanted to remove the blindfold and see where the third partner went, but he knew Pyro was trusting him to respect their privacy.

Self discipline kept the blindfold in place.

Spy tried to keep his attention on Dell though he listened for Pyro's movements. "I somehow think this encounter benefited me, more than you. You're as incredible as your machine."

Dell just chuckled. "Hardly. That was fantastic." His breaths were still coming quickly. “You were fantastic.”

He looked up at Pyro, and saw the indecision in them, even through the mask. Their body language was clear to Dell. They wanted to be included but they weren't sure they wanted Spy to be so close, to feel them and know them. They weren’t sure Spy wanted them to be so close. They were afraid of rejection.

Pyro made a soft sound of frustration. It would be so nice to press up against Spy, to finish while the man held them, or put matches out on them! But they couldn't. They stood, starting to dress again.

Dell frowned. "You can come sit on this side, Firebug, you don't need to get your suit back on."

Pyro ignored him, pulling the suit up. Soon enough it was only their hands and feet that were revealed again. They didn't want to stay anymore. They wanted Dell and Spy to have their moment and share what they could not have.

They grabbed their boots and gloves and before Dell could say anything, they were out the door.

"Ah, heck."

Spy sat up with the sound of the door. He pushed the blindfold up and off and stared at the empty doorway. "I'm guessing this is not a common response..." He stated in a dry tone. Almost all of the post-coitus high was sobered. Spy considered Engineer and realized he wasn't leaving to follow the Pyro.

Engineer sighed. "They don't usually get so involved either, I think they wanted more but didn't want it at the same time." He stroked a hand over Spy's lean chest. "They'll go light something on fire and feel better." He knew there wasn't much he could do to make Pyro feel better. They weren't much for talking when they were upset. He’d found that if he talked to Pyro about why they were upset, they were far more likely to cry, and he knew they hated to cry in front of people. It was best to give them time.

Spy was finally in the situation he set out to reach.

When he started seducing the Engineer, he expected to have a man like this in his bedroom that night. It took much longer, and a great amount of effort, but he succeeded. Dell was naked, relaxed, and speaking freely. This was the perfect time to begin a lazy post-coitus conversation and learn everything he wanted to know about the young man from Bee Cave Texas.

The RED Spy could almost hear the Administrator's praise, depending on what information he could coax out. And yet Spy sighed heavily. Rather than feel like this was the perfect moment, he felt concern for the Pyro.

Spy picked up his unfinished cigarette and lit it again. "If I were to look for them, where would I find the Pyro?"


	11. Searing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a little comfort by the fire

Pyro had built up a bonfire outside on the sandy ground, not far from the garage door behind which Engineer's truck was parked. They were slowly crumpling individual pieces of paper and throwing them in, watching them turn to ash, and then doing the same again.

Even with the thick suit and mask, their body language was dejected.

Pyro had never come that close to sex with anyone besides Dell. They'd never wanted to before. It was frustrating, they were torn between wanting everything, being open and allowing someone new to see and know them, and not wanting to be known at all. Staying a mystery and not having to deal with any of the complications that came with becoming a person rather than a mask and suit was easier. The possibility of a rejection was too much, too frightening.

They threw another crumpled sheet into the fire.

Spy appeared as a little burning dot in the darkness first. His cigarette glowed bright while he approached. He stepped into the light from the small bonfire and looked over his team mate.

Finally, he signed, " **Let's talk."** Although the finger unraveling at his mouth was easy to understand as coming words, it was different from the ASL sign for talking. It was a reminder of the distance between them, and a sign that the conversation could be difficult.

Pyro was surprised to see Spy. Why would he leave the bed after having sex with Dell? They nodded at Spy's signing, indicating the stack of paper that they'd been burning. If Spy had a pen, they could just write what they wanted to say instead.

Spy followed the gesture to the paper and circled around the fire. He retrieved a pen from his breast pocket and clicked it twice. Once to engage the poison dart that naturally came first. And twice to engage the simple writing pen. ‘ _We missed you._ ’ he scripted and passed the paper and pen to the Pyro.

Pyro read the note, then tossed it into the fire. They had expected Spy would speak his thoughts aloud, but instead he’d chosen to communicate the way Pyro was. They found they appreciated it. It was slower and more awkward to write, but Spy doing it too made it less so.

‘ _Sorry,_ ’ they wrote back, ‘ _you could have stayed with Dell_.’ Their writing was large and blocky, childish almost.

Spy was startled by how quickly his message was destroyed but then saw that each statement would be on a new paper. He folded Pyro's message and dropped it into the fire before taking a new sheet to write. ‘ _Yes. But it felt wrong to leave you alone._ ’ He passed it over and began to write the next letter quickly, ‘ _Did I offend you in some way?_ ’ The concern nagged at him. ‘ _If you can trust my word, then I give you my word I saw_ _nothing_.’

The first note was burned up as soon as Pyro finished reading it. The next one they hesitated on. Everything they felt was a confusing mess. How could they explain it to Spy when they could barely explain it to themself?

‘ _I know you didn't see me. I trust that_ ,’ came their first message. Then another, ‘ _I want more than I can have.’_

Spy considered the paper in his hands and read it a few times. He folded it and folded it again while he thought. He dropped it in the fire. ‘ _What is it that you want?_ ’ There was so much he could offer. And so much he could not offer. It was impossible to guess. And truly impossible to know what was going on in Pyro's mind.

Pyro took their time folding this note into a paper plane before tossing it into the fire. Truthfully they just wanted the time to think.

Finally, they wrote, ‘ _Everything you and Dell have_.’ They knew that sounded jealous. Maybe it was. It was true, though, and they didn't want to lie. ‘I _'m not ready_.’ They weren't ready to be touched. They weren't ready to be seen. They weren't ready to be known. Surely Spy understood at least a little of that, he was unwilling to take off his mask too. Maybe the fear of rejection weighed on him too.

Spy nodded. He understood easily. He didn't even have what he appeared to have. Spy wished he could be this naturally charming man, naked in bed with two lovers, kissing with meaning. But instead he was disguising his body to be something less scarred and marked by warfare. His actions came from planning for every possible scenario and rehearsing how to handle Dell.

How would those two respond if they knew the Spy was a teammate, but also an employee of the Administrator, compelled to report to her the secrets of the enemy team and his own.

‘ _I understand_ ,’ he wrote, waiting when he couldn't think of what else to write. ‘ _If you are ready, some day, you're welcome to my bedroom and anywhere else._ ’ And he hesitated, ‘ _You're welcome even if you never are ready.’_

Both messages were tossed into the fire, then Pyro pushed aside the ream of papers and curled up on their side with their masked head resting on Spy's thigh. Their eyes were prickling with tears and they were glad Spy wouldn't be able to tell.

Spy lifted his hand to let the mercenary rest on them. He rested his hand on the thick, almost featureless mask. From the reaction he could only assume Pyro understood him. But there was nothing else to say if they wanted a relationship they could not allow themself to have.


	12. Hot Spot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is so late, guys! we should be back to posting every Monday, but I thought I'd post this one early/late. There'll be another chapter this coming Monday.
> 
> Also, please thank the other half of tiny-freakin-head (the T half) for his amazing editing skills. From here on out things will be much better, editing wise. We may go back to earlier chapters with our new edits as well.

 

The next week passed a little awkwardly. Dell continued spending time with both Spy and Pyro, making sure neither of them felt left out as best he could.

Pyro spent much of their time playing with fire, taking a little space from Spy. They were starting to feel as though they might be falling in love. Their feelings were deeper than attraction to Spy, or excitement to hear him, and that deep feeling terrified them. But Spy was more than just charming and handsome. He was sweet and understanding and he came to check on them when they were upset even though he could have stayed with Dell and enjoyed his afterglow instead.

It was frustrating.

Finally, Pyro began to involve themself again, a little shyly at first. Both of their partners were relieved.

Dell and Spy had been spending all their alone time in Spy's room, so as not to crowd Pyro. But they abstained from that same intimacy they had when Pyro was with them. While they were away, Pyro appreciated the privacy to discover their own feelings, though soon enough they wanted to be involved again.

They quickly worked back up to watching the two of them, and then holding Spy down, or sitting near the two of them and playing with matches.

Though it was still a little frustrating, and they would still feel sparks of jealousy every once in a while, it was nice to be involved again. They’d felt a little lonely when they were apart, even if they knew they needed to take that time.

 

***

 

Dell hummed quietly while cleaning one of Pyro’s burn blisters and applying ointment to it.

A little bit of care protected Pyro from needing to visit the Medic, and allowed them to feel the burn for days if they were careful not to go through respawn.

"So... are we gonna talk about you and Spy? You're getting pretty involved in our little threesome."

He started to wrap a bandage around Pyro's thigh, lifting their leg with the gloved gunslinger and smoothing gauze with his flesh and blood hand.

"Now, you know you're welcome. I ain't kicking you out or anything. I just..." He shrugged with a little grin, "...want to know what's different, that's all."

Pyro nodded, knowing that Dell welcomed them, and understanding that he was curious. “I want to go further eventually. I really like him.” Dell knew that much. Pyro sighed, trying to come up with more of an explanation. “He treats me like you do, like I’m worth knowing.”

Even before their injury, Pyro had often been ignored or misunderstood. They tended not to connect with people easily. They weren’t Firebug with most people so much as they were ‘Dell’s friend’, and now ‘Pyro’.

Engineer chuckled. "Yeah... Spy has a way of making being nosy seem charming, somehow." He couldn't deny that sometimes he said more than he wanted to say about himself or Pyro.

Pyro had been doing a lot more fantasizing lately, imagining ways for Spy to fuck them and still keep their body an enigma. They’d come up with a couple possibilities and it had been keeping them up at night, imagining it.

A knock on the door redirected Dell’s thoughts. He looked up to the screen by the door and saw the RED Spy. "Speak of the devil." He looked Pyro over. He’d cleaned and bandaged one burn on their thigh, but there were two more that needed cleaning. "Are you gonna cover up?" He looked up at them, sure that Pyro would cover their face, even if nothing else.

Pyro perked up, grabbing their mask and pulling it down over their face. They pulled their suit up most of the way, leaving part of their arm and shoulder exposed. They still wanted at least a bandage there, so it wouldn’t rub in their suit.

The Engineer stood and went to let Spy in, locking the door behind him. “Thought you’d be by a bit later, you’ll have to give us a minute.” Dell returned to kneeling by Pyro, grabbing the ointment and smearing some over the last two burns.

Spy stepped in and immediately his attention went to the fucking machine beneath a heavy sheet, but he stared at it with quiet alarm, as if a stranger was in the room. He chewed at the end of his cigarette between his lips and nodded to Dell. He cleared his throat and forced his attention away from the machine to regard his teammates properly. "Of course. Take your time. As for me, I will make myself at home."

Dell didn’t notice Spy’s reaction to the machine, too preoccupied with Pyro.

Soon enough Pyro’s scarred and freckled shoulder was cared for and bandaged, and they pulled their suit back up. They waved at Spy, getting up to sit on the closest workbench.

Spy commented, "Ah, you _do_ burn. I was beginning to think fires glanced off you like they do off your suit." Always blindfolded when Pyro undressed enough to participate, Spy never saw the burn marks or the aftercare they required. Spy sat beside them and returned the welcoming gesture by signing, " **Good evening. I'm glad to come here again**."

And truly he was glad. Flattered even. Dell wasn't cleaning up before he arrived, and that was evident from the tools and papers spread out on his tables. It was a physical sign that he was relaxing and lowering his guard around him.

Pyro nodded, signing back, " **I'm glad you came!"** Their hands betrayed their excitement. Their fantasies over the last week seemed to push forward in their mind and they were hopeful that they might be able to make them happen tonight. Spy’s sign language had gotten markedly better. It was clear he’d been practicing.

Dell got up and joined the other two, taking his rubber glove off and tossing it on the table to reveal the gunslinger. He squeezed Spy's arm as he passed him. "What're you up for tonight? Want another ride?" he nodded to the machine, "or are we headed to bed?"

The Spy stopped a shiver of excitement when he felt the gunslinger squeeze him. But he couldn't hide the grin. He turned his head to watch the Engineer walk by. "I had hoped to ride the machine once more, before you destroy it.”

Engineer gave him a confused look. "Destroy it? Why would I do that? The workshop's private, only the three of us are ever in here. No one knows it's here." He shrugged. He would take it apart eventually, of course, couldn’t waste the space forever, and he could always reuse the parts, but for now he wanted to see Spy on it more than one last time.

Pyro was equally surprised. Spy had loved the machine earlier, why would he want it destroyed?

"I'm sure your workshop is very private and your security is very well handled," Spy assured, "for anyone who is willing to knock." He looked at Dell firmly, implying that if he wanted to come in, he would let himself in, and he knocked as a sign of respect only. "That machine, as impressive as it is, is a secret you don't want to let out."

Dell frowned at the suggestion. "Are you suggesting it might get out?" There was a cold threat in his voice.

Pyro could feel the tension in Dell. He'd been so relaxed around Spy lately, but suddenly all the paranoia was back. They hoped they were right when they signed to Spy, **"Are you worried about the Spy?"** They always signed the actual word for ‘Spy’ for the BLU Spy, but a personal sign for their Spy.

" _Mais oui!_ " Spy answered. "No secret is safe from being discovered! Especially from being discovered by a spy." Spy wasn't arguing only for Dell's well-being. He knew about this Conagher-built machine and never revealed it to the Administrator. If Spy was found to be keeping secrets from his employer, under express orders to gather intelligence, his career was in danger.

Engineer knew his Spy was reporting to the administrator, but he couldn't know the cut-throat competition between the two spies to gather intelligence on both teams and report it all to the Administrator. He couldn't know the humiliation of the enemy spy knowing the intimate secrets of your own team. He couldn't know the consequences if the Administrator ever knew the RED Spy betrayed her and started keeping Dell's secrets to himself.

"Please, assure me you'll destroy it,” Spy pushed.

Dell looked distrusting. "Are you talking safe from the other Spy, or safe from you? Have you told the Administrator about this? About us? About everything you're learning about us?"

 _Damn nosy Spy!_ Dell wanted to kick himself for trusting him. He knew better! He'd grown up being told never to trust a spy and look at him now! Letting one in his bed, and more than that, letting him into his life, into his heart.

Pyro reached over and nudged Dell. They signed as they spoke so Spy could understand too. **"Spy is worried about us** **—** **he doesn't want us to get in trouble."** They used the personal sign for Spy, the letter S and the sign for knife.

It seemed obvious to Pyro that their Spy was trying to protect them from the other Spy. Dell was still paranoid about what Spy was after, even after all this time, but Pyro felt confident that Spy was there for the two of them, that he wanted to be with them for them.

Dell let out a short sigh through his nose, clearly still annoyed.

Spy lifted his chin and frowned, causing his cigarette to point up. He was proud, and insulted that Dell looked at him with suspicion. But with no way to deny it, he sneered, "It's fine. If you believe that I will reveal your secret machine, then you will do your best to hide it, _non_?"

Dell grunted, “I guess I ain't lettin’ it fuck you again!”

Pyro huffed out a sigh through the filter of their mask. They hated this, their two favourite people arguing, so tense and angry with each other over nothing. They wanted to fix it, but they weren’t sure what they could say. Dell and Spy would both calm down if they just realized they wanted the same thing, to be safe from the other Spy. Or if they would just fuck. Pyro sighed again. Dell was being stubborn about the machine and it didn’t seem like the two of them were going to have sex tonight.

Spy was flustered by the statement and scowled. “I think I can find two words in that sentence to agree with.”

Engineer put out his chin, nearly ready to brawl as Spy took a breath to repeat those two words.

Pyro grabbed Engineer’s hand. At first they’d been a little shy to suggest it, but now they weren’t sure how else to end this argument. “Spy could fuck me.” They said it softly enough, but firmly. That at least would be a surprise, right? Maybe that would at least shock Dell out of his anger.

And maybe it would bring their fantasies into reality at the same time.

Dell reacted as if he was pinched. His eyes were hidden behind goggles, but the expression on his face was clear enough. Then he laughed, the previous hostility was gone. He knew Firebug had been fantasizing about Spy frequently, but he didn’t know what they had planned.

Spy dropped his guard, muttering curiously, " _Qu'est-ce qu'il se passe_?"  
  
Engineer acknowledged Spy with a nod, but said, "Hold on." He looked to Pyro, "You're sure? You want to try it?"  
  
The Texan wasn't ready to experiment with bottoming yet, not with Spy. And not when Spy seemed so comfortable with his role.

Pyro nodded. “If he’s blindfolded and you think he won’t... figure me out.” They weren’t sure how else to say it.

Spy was still hanging on every word. But he missed the muffled words that took Dell's attention.

Engineer considered him after Pyro spoke. “Do you want to try topping Pyro tonight?”

Spy tried not to look as surprised as Engineer did. But it was a surprise. He didn't expect the offer, he never had time to anticipate this possibility and plan a response. He wished he hadn’t thrown his cigarette on the floor earlier, so that he could smoke it for a less awkward silence.

Spy never saw Pyro's body aside from a glimpse of small parts of skin. Their shoulder, today, a bit of their hip before, their hands and feet. It was hard to imagine himself being intimate with this shapeless, genderless enigma.

But more importantly, it would be full contact between Spy and Pyro. The Frenchman's contact with this teammate, so far, worked through Dell. When Spy pursued Engineer, he included Pyro. When Engineer wanted his way with Spy, Pyro pinned him down. This new arrangement asked for compatibility between Spy and Pyro, using Engineer as the accessory.

The Texan made the situation clear. Only his smooth golden voice could make rules sound sweetly sexual. “You're going to wear a blindfold and I'm holding onto your hands, because I like knowing you can't get into trouble.”

Spy raised an eyebrow, silently testing Engineer's will.

“I could use handcuffs all the same, if you prefer that.” Engineer offered a less yielding alternative.

Spy smirked and assured, “I would never deny an opportunity to feel your hands on me.”

Pyro hadn't been entirely sure Spy would go for their suggestion at all. They suddenly felt a rush of excitement at the idea of it. He wasn't saying no. And Dell and Spy had stopped fighting—for now at least, they might return to it later, but Pyro hoped not.  
  
"You think this will work?" they asked Dell, their excitement tempered by nervousness. Though they wanted Spy to touch them, they were still held back by their fear of being known.

Spy's attention moved to Pyro and he studied the mercenary's body, but gave up his attempt to observe any more details of the person underneath. He gestured to the bedroom in the garage, as if inviting them in. “After you.”

They hesitated before nodding. They wanted to be involved. If Spy said yes—and he had!—then they wanted it too. It would be worth it.  
  
Pyro led the way to the bedroom with Spy and Dell in tow. There was an entirely new form of tension among the three of them now. Pyro's anxious feelings were starting to tip into excitement again and they took the blindfold Dell kept on his side table and passed it to Spy.

Spy followed Pyro, and Engineer was soon behind them. He placed the blindfold on Spy's face, then nodded to Pyro to let them undress. “It's all good over here.”

As Pyro undressed Spy leaned back, trying to find Engineer's hands. “I appreciate sex with an air of mystery, but this feels almost like a firing squad execution.”

Engineer unfastened the buttons of Spy's coat and vest. “And if I undress you, would that help?”

Spy chuckled, “Let’s try it and see.”

Engineer looked to Pyro to see if they were undressed and offered, “Want to help me get this one dressed down?” He gripped Spy's head and tilted it forward. There was a small gap between the nose and the blindfold, and Engineer wasn't letting Spy peek from it.

Pyro nodded. They took off their mask and replaced it with the respirator, leaving the top half of their face exposed. It would be cooler and more comfortable, plus they could see Spy more easily without tilting their head up. They helped Engineer strip Spy, trying to keep their hands slow and even, not wanting to give away their excitement and nerves.  
  
Once he was naked, they arranged themself on the bed, on their back with their thighs together, right at the edge near Spy. They let Dell take care of Spy's clothing and arranging him safely.  
  
Of course, with the blindfold, Pyro could no longer directly talk to Spy, but they could through Dell, at least.

Engineer was able to guide Spy easily. The Frenchman followed his lead like a dance partner, although his held breath made it clear that Spy was nervous and didn't know what might happen next.  
  
Spy smiled as he was positioned close enough to feel Pyro's body brush against his. "Ah, there you are."  
  
His hands hovered, wanting to guide Pyro, but cautious to touch.  
  
Engineer gathered Spy's hands and pinned them behind his back with his gunslinger. His other hand guided Pyro's thighs, at first to bring them around Spy's narrow hips. But that was very vulnerable. Instead, Pyro kept their thighs together and drew their knees up to their chest.  
  
Engineer was a little too shy to look at his companion's exposure. "You want me to prepare you, or are you taking care of yourself?"

Pyro scrambled back on the bed to grab the lube, having momentarily forgotten that Spy would have no hands and wouldn't be able to help.  
  
They worked themself open with a few soft sounds. They were too excited to take very long, and soon enough they were back in position, and nodding to Engineer to let Spy move forwards.

Spy was surprised how hard and excited he was. His role between Pyro and Engineer was only changed to be a giver rather than receiver, and yet, the change was intense.  
  
Anticipating Pyro was exciting. His cock bobbed in the open air, waiting to feel the mercenary's body wrap around him. There was a strange thrill of mysteriousness, still not knowing this partner very well.  
  
Engineer guided Pyro's hips. In his position behind Spy, he knew what angle he wanted for a gentle entry. He grasped Spy's cock and pumped it a few times to be sure he was ready before he introduced it to Pyro's puckered entrance. "How's that?"  
  
Spy groaned. It was warm and slick with lubrication and teasing him with everything he wanted. But he was sure the question was for Pyro. Spy couldn't guess the last time they received.

Pyro nodded, their head tipping back as Spy pressed in against them. Their breath came out shaky and though they were tempted to wrap their thighs around Spy, they resisted and kept still.  
  
"Good, I'm ready," they answered, once their voice steadied a little. Their hands held the sheets tightly. Their nervousness had evolved into a quick heartbeat and a tingling hyper-awareness of their skin where Spy touched them. They couldn't press back into Spy, they had to leave the pace to him and Dell.

Spy was relieved by what he thought Pyro answered. It was confirmed when Engineer guided him to sink his cock in deeply.  
  
The Frenchman leaned forward until he found Pyro's bent legs, their knees holding Spy from closing the distance between their bodies. At first he didn't understand the position, but it wasn't the first time he experienced it. He smirked and asked with amusement and kindness, "This is your first time like this, _non_?"

Pyro flushed, but Spy said it kindly enough and their embarrassment was quickly dissolving. They nodded, though Spy couldn't see them. Dell might say something.  
  
Spy felt good in them, moving slow and careful for now. They felt so full, relaxing into the sensation to make it easier on them both. They arched a little as Spy hit a particularly sensitive spot, but they didn't want him much closer than he was.

Dell chuckled, "You need someone to confirm that for you?"

Spy shook his head. " _Non_ , I'll be gentle." Spy rocked his hips with Pyro, and hanging on every breath to know his partner was satisfied. "Until you prefer this to be faster."

For now, it was the perfect pace, Spy pressing deeper and sliding out with slick ease. Their little gasps and whines made their enjoyment obvious, even to their blindfolded partner.  
  
Somehow, being fucked like this, still as just an idea to Spy instead of a solid form that he knew, made it more exciting. Their skin was practically buzzing and they wished Spy could touch them, hold their thighs, stroke his fingers over them. Instead, they traced their own hands over their skin, digging their nails in whenever Spy bottomed out in them.  
  
After some time, they looked up at Dell, reaching down to gently tap Spy on the hip. "Faster?"

"What was it?" Spy stilled and waited for Engineer to confirm it. It was more evident how much, or little, he understood when he couldn't read the signs to help.  
  
Engineer translated, "They like it. Give ’em a bit more."  
  
Spy sighed in relief, " _Grâce à Dieu_!" He was holding back and was glad to be welcomed to do more rather than rein in further. He leaned his weight more heavily on Pyro's knees and Engineer sat on his own heels to watch.  
  
The Engineer kept his grip on the Spy, although he didn't fight it at all. It helped Pyro feel more secure. And it didn't interfere watching Spy's hips rolling and his ass wriggling so subtly every time Pyro flexed around his cock.

Pyro felt a wave of affection for Dell, not only holding Spy's hands, but also translating between the two of them. Without him, they wouldn't have been bold enough to try this.  
  
And with how good it felt, that would have been a real pity.  
  
Pyro hadn't realized how much Spy had been holding back until he sounded so relieved. Their cries became louder, their breath coming faster as Spy thrust harder into them. His weight coming down on them was more arousing than they'd expected. They squirmed and tightened their muscles and barely kept themself still for him.  
  
They were sure touching themself would give away the game, so they restrained themself. It wasn't easy. If they'd been thinking ahead they would have grabbed their lighter or matches. Now they were achingly close and not quite there.

Spy was groaning deeply from his throat now as he let his body rock together with Pyro, giving them the intense friction they needed.  
  
Engineer was letting his free hand stroke along the curve of Spy's ass. He slapped it gently, but resisted doing anything to distract Spy from Pyro.  
  
Pyro watched and supported so many times as Engineer fucked someone. It was only fair to support them now. He looked at them and saw their state of sexual unravel, becoming so close. He silently gestured, " **Okay**?"

Pyro was distracted by the colours of Spy's moans. They weren't as bright and colourful as they'd been on the fucking machine, but the red turned purple at the edges, staining their world beautifully.  
  
They almost missed Engineer's question, their attention was mostly elsewhere, but they nodded as soon as they’d processed what he'd signed. They were far more than okay. They just needed a little more...  
  
Knowing they might not get release otherwise, they slid a hand down to tease themself, achingly slow. If they were careful, It was unlikely Spy would catch on. With Spy's thrusts, his cock throbbing in them, they were sure even this amount of stimulation would be able to tip them over the edge soon enough. They knew it would only be frustrating if Spy came and they couldn't.

Spy was nearly at his limit. He knew Pyro didn't want to be touched and caressed. But they were touching now. They were touching so intimately and deeply. He couldn't assume what rights he had to their body.  
  
The Frenchman moaned softly, "May I finish inside you?"

Pyro looked to Dell and nodded, desperately. They made some affirmative sounds as well, not sure if Spy would understand or not. They were right on the edge now, just riding it a little longer in an attempt to keep that feeling. It was more intense than they'd imagined, and they were trembling under Spy, shaking with the effort of staying still and not pulling Spy closer.  
  
They gave a few broken cries, their gasps cutting off the happy noises as they abruptly hit their limit and came. Their body tightened around Spy, quivering as they rode out their orgasm with Spy inside them.

Though Spy's voice was soft, when they came their synesthesia seemed to burst into a rainbow of colour. It was as though it was reacting to their pleasure instead of the sounds Spy made. The colours turned from a swirl into shapes, rippling and fitting together like a quilt. They gave another few soft gasps as it overwhelmed them almost as much as their orgasm.

Engineer purred, "They're ready for you, partner."

Spy didn't want to make a sound as he heard Pyro's mewls of pleasure. They were so soft and so crisp, although certainly coming through a respirator.  
  
Of course, Spy couldn't hold himself back completely. As he spilled himself inside Pyro, he groaned deeply, reverberating against the knees touching his chest. He finished with a few soft thrusts before Engineer pulled him up to seat him in his lap and allow Pyro their space.

Pyro couldn't help a tiny bit of disappointment as Spy came so quietly. It would have added to their already spectacular display of synesthesia. Still, at least there was that one low moan that lit everything a reddish purple.  
  
Still, he'd felt amazing in them. They felt amazing.  
  
Spy pulled against the hands on his wrists. He missed pressing his lips to warm flesh, and feeling Pyro's hands on his body. The sex was incredible and now he wanted to wordlessly whisper the post-coital passion over the bodies of his lovers.  
  
Engineer looked over his partners and offered, "Y’all ready to lay down and enjoy the afterglow?"  
  
Spy gladly gave his vote, " _Oui_."

Pyro wished Spy could have just laid next to them, but they also knew it wasn't time yet. They nodded to Dell, sitting up to grab their full mask and the thick, baggy clothes they'd taken to sleeping in.  
  
Dell and Spy were pretty much settled by the time they were ready, and they crawled in next to Spy, putting their bare hand against his chest.


	13. Live Coals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a bit of a reveal

When Spy joined Pyro and Dell in the garage again, he was welcomed in even though they never planned for a date. Engineer spent his time with his machines and Pyro often stayed close beside him, and now Spy wanted to be there also.

Truthfully, Spy wanted to be there from the start. But his motivations were different now. He was less interested in spying on Engineer's latest work, or reporting anything to the administrator. He was interested in being beside his partners.

Engineer seemed to think the same about Spy's motivations. Despite some initial caution, Engineer returned to disassembling a sentry remote to improve the range, and he let Spy watch him.

Spy was more interested in watching Pyro move around the lab and sign the names of different things in ASL. Spy returned the sign in LSF either to show how it was similar, or how it was totally different. He mimicked their signs as well, practicing his ASL.

Spy leaned on Engineer's workbench, laughing quietly while Pyro laughed a little harder at some unexpected signs. The rogue’s eyes followed Pyro closely, but Engineer noticed when his attention was distracted by the fucking machine and his body language became tense and frustrated.

“If you really think it's safer, I'll take it apart.” Engineer said without looking up at Spy.

Spy didn't consider this a victory. But he did believe it was safer. “You trust me?”

Dell gave another sigh. "Look, it's not exactly easy for me to trust a Spy, even on my own team.”

The RED Spy nodded stiffly, certain that he earned something warmer than that. But he stayed silent as Engineer continued to think out loud, “The other Spy ain't gonna break in here, I don't need to worry about him. But… I guess it's just asking for trouble… keeping it out in the open like this.”

It really wasn't too much to ask for, Engineer supposed. Though he didn't like it, it was Spy's way of trying to protect them from an enemy. Pyro trusted him. That counted for something, right? Not that the Firebug was very suspicious of anyone, ever. But it was rare that they took such a liking to someone, so that had to mean something. And they’d never been so intimate with anyone, not even the life partner they grew up with.

Pyro gave a soft exhale. The tension was mostly gone now, after everything, but they could still tell that Dell wasn’t as trusting as they were. They hoped they were right, about Spy. They really liked him, and now, even more than before, they knew the feeling was mutual.

Spy offered some condolences, “My apologies. It is an exquisite machine.”

Engineer put down the remote and laughed. “Your sweet talk ain't an exaggeration.” He smiled half fondly, half bitterly, “When I started building these it was only for a ‘colleague’ sharing my interests. But, boy, this thing is like catnip for any tom cat in town.” He smiled and rested his cheek in his palm, “I was never as popular as my machines. Despite how many men came by my room, my contraptions were the life of the party.”

Engineer's words sounded proud, but Spy was watching his face closely rather than following his gaze to the machine. It was unmistakable that he tried to consider it a compliment to be wanted for his machines, rather than to simply be wanted.

Pyro was familiar with this old ache of Dell’s. He’d always been a little hurt by the men who’d only wanted to try out his toys instead of him. Pyro could understand why, but they also were sure that a few of the men were actually interested in Dell, and he’d found it easier to pretend they only wanted him for his machines instead of facing an actual relationship. Pyro had never shared that thought with Dell, however, not wanting to be wrong and hurt Dell’s feelings further.

The Texan looked up at his French partner’s masked face, “Do you want one more ride on the machine?”

Spy chuckled and shook his head, “ _Non, pas de tout_. I want to kiss you.”

Engineer leaned back in his seat, “Just kissing?”

The Frenchman chuckled warmly at the experience of Engineer flirting. “ _Non_ , only to start.”

“You want to know what happens next?”

“I prefer that you show me.”

Engineer tipped his backwards hard hat then removed it to be on the work table. He removed his goggles and went to the bedroom, waving for Pyro to join them.

Pyro snuck into the room between the two of them, grabbing their matchbox from the bedside table and striking one, unable to resist.

Spy was last to the bedroom and undressed with poise and patience. He never hurried himself here, even if it was clear that he was eager. His cock pressed to the front of his pants, causing the fine pinstripe lines of his suit to contour the shape. He liked to undress himself like it was a show. He savoured the moment while he revealed himself, and was never ashamed to be exposed in this way. His carefully created disguise was the perfect image of a spy that lived a dangerous and dramatic life. But he never removed the mask. Spy's balaclava always remained in place and his partners never bothered it. Naked, except for his mask and silky dark socks with garters, Spy sat on the bed.

Dell had to admit, he loved watching Spy undress. The man was gorgeous, and he undressed like he knew he was being watched. He left the socks and garters on and Dell cracked a smile. They were surprisingly cute. He liked seeing Spy with Pyro too. He made them happy, and their happiness was important to him.

He cupped Pyro's hand and blew out a lit match they were admiring. Spy brought the hands to his body, encouraging them to grab him, "How do you want me,  _mon petit feu_?"

They made a soft sound of disappointment at the match being blown out, but that feeling didn’t last long. Pyro wasn't shy about how they wanted Spy. They flipped him over onto his back as though he weighed nothing, grabbing him by the wrists with one hand. Their hands were fairly small, their nails painted blue today, their hand size surprisingly delicate for someone so strong, but Spy's wrists were thin and they had no trouble holding both of them. This way they could still play with matches.

Spy went with the movement easily. After several encounters, he was more familiar with the Pyro and less cautious of being handled roughly. They were always tender both before and after sex. Spy was learning to be excited by the thrill of danger when the match was lit, and to not worry Pyro might harm him.

With Spy neatly pinned, Engineer kicked the last of his clothes off and crawled onto the bed between Spy's legs, a hand on each thigh, stroking. "Hey, handsome," Dell bent down a little, kissing the inside of his thigh.

Spy kept himself still and resisted squirming as the Texan leaned in so wonderfully near to his cock, but without touching it. The kiss on his thigh made him melt, and thus the tone of his teasing remark was not as cutting as he wanted, "That isn't my erogenous zone, I'm afraid. Try something a little further up my body, maybe."

Dell just laughed. "Sure doesn't sound like it," he teased. Spy's voice gave away how aroused he was. The Engineer continued leaving kisses and gentle bites up his thigh. Ignoring Spy's hard cock, Dell put his lips to the hollow of his hip, biting there and sure it ought to leave a dark hickey. As lovely as Spy’s naked body was, Dell was still certain that it wasn’t entirely honest; he was sure that Spy was cloaking some scars, some old injuries. He thought perhaps if he bit hard enough, the cloak might fail, but he was working up to it. Each bite was a little harder.

Spy hummed with appreciation of every kiss and moaned quietly at every bite. He watched a flash of Dell's perfect white teeth graze his skin before feeling the bite on tender skin and his toes curled from excitement. Of course, no matter how much attention Dell gave to the Spy to leave hickies on the white smooth skin, no marks ever remained. Spy appreciated those hickies in total privacy when he undisguised and unmasked, something he did not do with his lovers... yet.

Pyro lit another match, just holding it in front of themself between two fingers. Distracted by watching Dell's mouth move over Spy's soft, pale skin, they didn't notice the match was burning down nearly to their skin.

Fully distracted by Engineer's mouth, Spy didn't notice the burning, shriveling match dangling over his face.

Spy's quiet hums sent little flashes of colour across Pyro's world, keeping them distracted. The match burned down far enough that the little flame licked at the skin between their fingers. The match fell from their fingers as they flinched in surprise and fell straight onto the forehead of Spy’s mask. The fabric began to smolder almost immediately under the little flame. Pyro grabbed the match in between their fingers and crushed it in their palm to kill the flame.

The mask was still smoldering and Pyro acted on instinct, grabbing the mask at the neck and pulling it over Spy’s head to beat the fabric against their thigh.

For an instant, Pyro didn’t fully realize what they’d done. They were busy trying to extinguish the balaclava. They were relieved the match hadn’t fallen any closer to his eyes.

Spy flinched but moaned, surprising himself, as the heat of the flame burned through his mask and grazed his skin. He couldn't react and decide whether he liked the heat or not, in a second it was gone, along with his mask. He scrambled to sit up, wild eyes looking at Pyro and Engineer.

Engineer was speechless. He hadn’t expected any of what had just happened, and Pyro had reacted so fast there was no time to stop them or even predict what they would do. Spy was just as gorgeous as he looked with the mask, but now Dell knew exactly why he wore it. Those were quite the scars climbing Spy’s face. It looked like he’d been stabbed right through the mouth, maybe? The scars were on both sides. They didn’t really look like scars from a knife, though. Engineer had no idea what else could have caused that without killing the man. Honestly, it seemed like he was lucky he hadn’t lost part of his tongue, like Pyro had.

“You’ve got a spare mask in your locker, that right?” Engineer was up on his feet in an instant, grabbing his pants on his way out, already heading for the door. “I’ll be right back.”

Spy clapped a hand over his mouth, stretching his fingers to attempt to cover his cheeks. The balaclava did a good job of concealing how thinned his cheeks were. He looked like a very lean man, not a man with deep scars from a bullet passing through his cheeks. Unmasked, however, he was sure his partners saw the deep scars. The Engineer was gone in an instant and Spy sighed heavily, looking at Pyro next and the burned balaclava in their hands.

As soon as their attention came back to Spy, Pyro’s hand went over the filter of their gas mask as though in an expression of horror, mimicking Spy's reaction involuntarily. They’d revealed Spy’s face! Without asking!

Pyro’s first impression was that he was just as pretty as they’d thought. Though Pyro had always thought Spy’s mask didn’t hide much, it certainly hid enough. The man’s cheeks were thin and scarred. Plus, he had a familiar looking brand over the pulse point on his neck, the letter ‘B’. Pyro had one of their own; it was a mark from Bea, the Classic Pyro, her personal brand that she left on people she knew, or prisoners she’d tortured.

Pyro slammed the heel of their palm into their thigh, clearly upset with themself. They began to apologize, both out loud and signing it, over and over. They averted their eyes from Spy’s face. Pyro felt terribly guilty.

Something occurred to them and they signed, **"Wait,"** turning their back to Spy and grabbing the respirator on their side table drawer. Though Spy and them had had sex now, this seemed more intimate, somehow. Seeing Spy’s face, and now, being seen in return.

With their back carefully turned to Spy, they took a slow, shaky breath, then pulled off their mask. In an instant it was replaced by the respirator. The black half-mask covered their jaw and all the way up over their nose. Everything else was revealed. No one other than Dell -and the Medic- had seen this much of them in awhile. The respirator covered the worst of their injury, but thick scars still rose up their cheeks and down their neck, visible around the device.

They'd seen Spy's scars. This was only fair. They turned back to Spy.

They felt so exposed.


	14. Melt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and the rest of our reveal...

 

Whatever turmoil of feelings Spy was struggling with, they disappeared to curiosity when Pyro removed their mask.

Spy took in every detail and studied everything, as if he might never see this again. Their hair was shaved down to the scalp and it was impossible to determine the colour. Little scars cut through the hair making razor thin hairless places. Scars marred their skin deeply and hinted at what was a very painful accident. The half mask was covering the worst of it.

Freckles dotted his face- no- _their_ face, Spy corrected his thoughts. Pyro looked undeniably rugged and quite masculine now. But there was a touch of softness to the curve of their face, something cute in their large round eyes. Even as a shaved and scarred and masked mercenary there was something appropriately androgynous when studying their face.

Spy's face softened and any anger, hurt, or frustration he was processing disappeared instead. "Is this what you didn't want me to see?" Spy mumbled into his palm. Reluctantly he lowered his hand, showing his own scars. "I understand the feeling. I never wanted you to see my face like this."

Spy’s muffled voice made the colour of his voice more transparent for a moment. While Spy studied Pyro, Pyro did the same with Spy. The brand was the most interesting scar, to them. It looked old, but not nearly as old as theirs. Dell didn't have one, his father had made sure of that.

Pyro rubbed a hand over their stubbly scalp, a little self consciously. Sometimes they still missed their long hair, and this was one of those times. They'd changed so much over the years, sometimes they didn't recognize themself when they caught their own reflection.

Spy's expression slowly became something less hurt and angry, and Pyro felt a flood of relief. They'd made the right choice. Even if it had been hard. It hadn't been as terrible as they'd been afraid of. Spy dropped his hand and Pyro was happy -they couldn't manage a proper smile with the respirator on, but their eyes seemed to brighten. **"We match."**

Not only with the scars disfiguring their faces, but those deep and permanent brands. How did Spy know Bea? Pyro hated to think he'd been one of those people in that terrible room with all the tools where they could hear screaming more often than not. But it seemed more likely than Spy and Bea having been close.

Spy was so startled by the innocent response they signed, that he laughed. The scars became deep dimples with the expression. "Yes, we have more in common than I thought."

Spy watched Pyro's hand brush over their shaved head and wanted to follow the gesture and feel them. He guessed that the mercenary had red hair, judging by the pale brows and eyelashes. He ran a hand through his own greying dark hair instead. It laid down neatly under his balaclava, but without the mask, some longer strands started to lift up and fall toward his brow.

Spy's silvering hair was very handsome and Pyro felt the same urge as he did, to reach out and touch.

"Your scars are from 'the accident', _non_?" There weren't many clues but he knew the Pyro well enough to guess, "Were you playing with something flammable?"

Pyro's brows drew together and they hung their head a little. They were used to over emoting so people could see what they were feeling, it was hard to stop doing it. They spelled out a kind of fuel and left it at that.

They'd gotten into Bea's workshop and hadn't realized how potent some of her accelerants were. They were lucky they'd been wearing goggles, or they'd likely be blind too. The explosion itself caused the scars, but it had been shrapnel that had taken out part of their lower jaw. They'd had unrestricted access to the base before that, but afterwards, they had to be with someone at all times.

They'd felt stupid and childish and the feelings still lingered.

"Petroleum distillate?" Spy asked out loud while he repeated the signs with his own fingers. It was difficult to keep up when they finger spelled.   
  
He didn't know as much about fuel as Pyro did, it wasn't his area of expertise, but he knew it must burn hot. Underneath the respirator was probably scarred, melted skin if the fuel burned on them directly.

Spy didn't take his eyes off Pyro, but stretched for Dell's nightstand to take a notepad and pencil and pass it to Pyro. He assumed they had a lot to talk about, more than the language barrier of their sign languages allowed.

Spy considered the scars with some curiosity then. Pyro was clear about enjoying fire and being burned. But was there a limit?

He hoped Pyro didn't think he was being cruel to ask what would be a rude question and obvious answer toward anyone else, "Did you like it?"

They shook their head. It had been the most intense pain of their life and they'd had to endure it long enough to leave the workshop and get the attention of one of the Classic team. The Sniper had ended up carrying them to the Classic Medic, and it was only then that the pain could be relieved.

After the incident, they'd had nightmares. They weren't able to speak at all for months, which was when Dell began to learn sign language, teaching them at the same time. Everyone else just let them write down what they wanted to say, which was restricting. It had taken far longer after they were able to speak for Dell to pick up what they were saying. They'd almost given up trying at all. Now he didn't even need the signs to understand what they were saying.

They loved fire, they did, but only when they could control it. It was pleasurable, but more than that it was a weapon, and they didn't like having it turned against them.

Ignoring the notepad for a moment, they tapped the side of their own neck, where Spy's scar was on his. Then they tapped their own brand. **"B-E-A?"** they signed. Normally they used a personal sign for her, a B combined with the gesture for fire, but Spy might not understand who they meant.

Spy nodded, almost feeling the burning beneath his skin when he thought about it, "We both met her, unlucky for us." He almost signed to explain the scars on his cheeks, from the Classic Sniper. But then, he didn't know how to possibly sign the scars left by other Classic mercenaries, scars that were not physical. "I thought you and Dell were quite safe on the Conagher Ranch. How did the Classic team, or rather, specifically the Pyro, ever find you?"

Pyro's brow drew together again and their eyes flicked to the side. It was amazing how much more emotion Spy could see from them now, how much subtlety had been lost behind the mask. They were afraid to answer the question. They were afraid Spy would become afraid of them.

Bea was a monster. And so were they, in their way, they knew that too. They were a mercenary, they were perfectly happy to kill the enemy team -especially because they didn’t truly die. But Bea was far crueler, enjoying the pain of anyone she could get her hands on, friend and foe alike, and Spy had been tortured by her. It was likely she'd kept one of his teeth in her horrible collection. How could Spy ever look at them the same again?

This time Pyro opted for the notepad. ' _We spent time on the base with Dell's father sometimes. We knew the team.'_ That was a start, but it wasn't honest. Pyro was quite clearly fighting with themself about what to say and how to say it. Their expression was pure torment. They'd just revealed their face and Spy hadn't left. What if this was something he couldn't live with?

Spy read the words. It was a statement, a very relevant statement that matched perfectly how Spy lied using omission. It was a statement that allowed Spy to assume Bea found them on the base while they followed Conagher Sr. But they didn't state it. Spy recognized the technique and commented, "Our Engineer doesn't have a brand."

Pyro nodded. They couldn't meet Spy's gaze, and signed unhappily. **"She's my mother."**

Spy felt cold, and insisted that he didn't understand. "Pardon me, this sign..." He repeated it, **‘mother’.** He wouldn't say it out loud. But he didn't know what meaning he hoped for. What relationship between this Pyro and Bea would be okay?

Pyro made a soft sound of unhappiness, and wrote it down.

Spy read the words and frowned deeply. ‘ _Mother'_ , written in that childish script. This team's Pyro was the child of that terrible and cruel Classic Pyro. He was missing those barriers they had between them that protected each other from knowing too much.

"And you like fire, like her... You like _burning_ people." Spy stated, too sure of the answer to ask. The thought of Pyro burning themself, and wanting to push those matches against Spy's skin was terrifying now. Spy let this person pin him down, he made himself vulnerable to them. It gave him chills. "You like hurting people?" That was a question, luckily.

Spy's expressions changed to horrified and moved through to fear and Pyro clenched their hands against their suit. They shook their head, then hesitated, shrugging. They grabbed the notebook and wrote, ' _Only if they like it too'_. They turned the book so Spy could read it.

They didn't like it when their partner was unhappy. Dell had let them burn him for years, but after his own accident he'd been afraid of fire and they hadn't burned him since. They were very much in control of that, and their outlet was mostly in burning themself.

They loved watching people react to fire. The initial flinch and cry of pain, the rush of endorphins afterwards, and the gentle parts afterwards, cleaning them up and bandaging them.

Pyro flipped the notebook again and kept writing. ' _Dells father was more of a parent to me than she was'_. They felt it was important that Spy know, that though they were related, they weren't close.

Bea had branded Pyro because she considered them hers. But she'd never taken care of them. She'd given birth on the Conagher's ranch and left her baby with Dell's mother to care for. The only kind thing she'd ever done for them was try to keep them from being sent to an asylum.

Spy's shoulders relaxed in small amounts as Pyro explained. His fingertips gently rubbed at the brand scar on his neck. Pyro's explanations made sense, despite how sensitive Spy felt to the matter.

The only thing Pyro seemed to have in common with the Classic Pyro was their love for fire. This Pyro waited for permission and consent. They happily pinned Spy down and manhandled him, but only when they were encouraged to do it. And they never burned Spy. Even this unexpected unmasking all began because Pyro was protecting him from being burned.

"Alright," Spy finally stated, reluctantly, "I believe you."

Pyro gave a soft sigh. Spy had found out so much about them and he hadn’t left. He still wanted to talk to them. They had so much they wanted to share now. But as understanding Spy was, the language barrier was still too difficult; it was hard to write that much, and there were still some signs Spy didn't recognize.

Engineer came back through the workshop proper to their little room. He handed Spy a mask and sat on the edge of the bed. Spy’s things had mostly been hidden away and he’d struggled to find the mask at all.

He stared at Pyro’s respirator for a moment before smiling. "Thought that'd be fair, huh Firebug?"

Pyro nodded.

Nonetheless, Spy was impressed that Engineer did find the mask. "The false floor of my locker was no trouble for you, it seems." He might need to find a new place to hide his spare mask and gadgets.

Engineer shook his head a bit. "Took me a damn long time to find the latch! Clever bit of work, really," he admitted, though it had annoyed him at the time.

Spy turned his head away and held out a hand for the mask. Although he wasn't covering his face with his hand, he still feared to let Engineer look at him. Pyro understood. Possibly Pyro sympathized and looked past the scars, with such horrible scars of their own to hide. But Engineer? Spy didn't want to think about it, he smoothed the mask down over his face.

"It seems Pyro and I have more in common than I thought. I'm not sure either of us expected we were only hiding scars behind our masks."

"I'm glad," Dell admitted. "Not glad that you both have the scars, but that you can understand each other."

Dell hadn't noticed the B brand on Spy's neck, he'd mostly been trying not to look at him, to give him the privacy that he wanted. He spotted the last page Pyro had written on. ' _Dells father was more of a parent to me than she was'_. He glanced at Spy. The Frenchman looked fairly calm. "Were you two talking family history?" he asked softly, looking back at Pyro.

Pyro nodded again, raised their hands to sign, and then dropped them again. They wanted to say that Spy knew Bea, that he'd stayed to talk to Pyro anyway, but they didn't want to give away a secret if Spy didn't want them to.

Spy neatly tore the pages from the notebook and handed them to Pyro to burn. Maybe the notes were useless without more context, but the meaning was clear to Engineer. " _Oui_ , it appears we have some mutual contacts. But a very different relationship with them." Spy scratched lightly at the hidden scar on his cheek.

He didn't resent Dell for his family legacy in Mann Co. The Conagher family was dangerous and killed countless spies, so this spy never risked sneaking onto the ranch. And yet, if Spy could ignore the Conagher history and see Dell as a rather gentle and sheltered young man, surely he could see the child of Bea as also gentle, and sheltered, and not responsible for their mother's horrible nature.

Pyro folded the notes and left them on the floor by the bed. They’d burn them in the morning. They weren’t technically supposed to burn things in the bedroom but Dell let them get away with matches in bed.

Dell nodded. He didn’t want to imagine how Spy had met Bea. He remembered her as far more frightening than most of the men. His father had always kept him safely out of her way, but he hadn’t done the same for Pyro. Dell remembered them coming back from her with their brand as a child, somewhere between delighted by the fire and heat and crying with the initial hurt.

“I’m glad the cat’s out of the bag then. And that you don’t hold it against them.” Dell reached out and rubbed a thumb over Pyro’s cheek, “And it’ll nice to see your face more, Firebug.”

Pyro nodded, making a sign for happiness. Again, their smile was just in their eyes, nothing else revealed for them to smile with. They felt exhausted. Tonight had been much harder than they’d been expecting.

“I don’t know about you two, but I’m thinking tonight’s been a bit... long. You up for anything or do you just wanna spend the night? Or spend it alone if you need,” Dell added.

Spy wasn't sure exactly what he wanted, but he knew he didn't want to be alone with his thoughts. "I want to stay," Spy stated as he moved to the side of the bed for Engineer to settle in the middle. He slipped an arm around the Texan's thick torso as the three settled down. Pyro went out into the workshop proper to change into their hoodie and pyjama pants, and once they returned, they turned out the light.

Spy couldn't sleep. He was glad that the situation was calm and comforting, and he wasn't reliving his encounter with the Classic team in his mind. But he couldn't let go of the moment enough to sleep either.

The Engineer was breathing deeply, evidence that he was asleep. Spy wondered if the Pyro was sleeping though. Spy sat up in the bed and watched their shape until Pyro turned, apparently awake also.

Spy used his lighter to illuminate the space between them. One hand was poised, ready to sign. But what? Finally, he started, " **Thank you for telling me,** " he confirmed. **"Everything. Your face. Your mother. Your secrets.** " As shocking as it all was, he truly was grateful to be trusted.

Pyro felt Spy’s eyes on them, turning to see if they were right. They could hardly make him out in the dark. Then he lit his lighter and began to sign. The little fire made their shadows dance and Pyro was tempted to reach out and touch the flame. They resisted.

They felt their chest tighten. They’d been so afraid of how this would turn out. But Spy thanked them. He was glad to know, to see. It made them feel like when they were ready to come out of their suit around him, nothing would change. Spy could accept them.

 **“I’m grateful,”** they signed back, not sure what word to use, really, but that one seemed about right. **“I was afraid.”**

Spy released a breath of amusement. He understood, of course, but it seemed silly now. They were both so fearful of showing their scars, they both preferred to be faceless and not let the scars from their failures be seen.

" **You're attractive."** Spy signed. Handsome seemed like the wrong word, to Spy. Pyro was too neutral to use terms that were so masculine.

Pyro felt their face go hot when Spy signed 'attractive'.

They hadn't thought of themself in that way for a long time. Before their accident, they'd loved taking photos of themself and being naked -they had modeled nude for art students while Dell took classes in college, even- but afterwards it was harder. They didn't like seeing their own face as much anymore. It reminded them of that low point in their life, unable to talk, unhappy and disfigured. It was a terrible time to look back on.

**"Will you be like this when we are alone, together?"**

Spy's question stumped them briefly. There was really no point in hiding now.

Finally, they nodded. Spy would at least be able to see half their face from now on. It did a lot to humanize them, they knew. Even looking at their own reflection when in the full suit and mask, they didn't always seem like a person. But they didn't want him to see the actual injured part of their jaw if they could help it. It wasn't pleasant to look at and the respirator covered it. Not all the scars, but the worst of it.

 _Attractive_. It was a nice thought. Maybe it was time to get used to their own face and start taking photos again.

" **And, someday, your body also**?" Spy asked, hopeful. Engineer and Pyro saw Spy fully exposed now, as far as they knew anyway. And after he saw Pyro's scarred face, seeing all of them seemed like the next step to Spy.

Pyro's eyes flicked away and they shrugged.

Though they were sure at this point that Spy would still be here, still care for them, they weren't sure if he would be interested in playing with them anymore, or interested in sex again. They did want to go further with Spy. They wanted, as they had said, everything Dell and Spy had. They wanted Spy to see them, know them, touch them. But they were afraid of being rejected, or finding that Spy would not be interested once they were revealed. They truly cared about Spy, they didn’t want him to leave them. Especially since it wasn’t likely he’d leave Engineer.

It was a frightening thought. But so was waiting forever and never trying.

They nodded. They would try. Eventually.

Spy assured, **"There is no rush."**

Pyro nodded. Spy was right, there was no rush. They still didn't know each other that well, for all that they'd been very intimate. Spy tended not to talk about himself. Pyro could understand that, but they were curious too.

Spy was glad Pyro didn't ask him to not wear his mask. He might choose to take it off if it seemed appropriate to do so... But he wanted those steps on his own terms. Most of all, he was glad that he could address what was on his mind. **"I'm sorry you know B-E-A. I'm sorry she knows you."**

Pyro reached over Dell's chest to touch Spy's arm. Dell didn't even stir with the extra pressure. They weren't sure what to say about Bea. She was barely family. They didn't know her very well. For most of their life she had avoided them, only getting involved to brand them as a child, and to insist they didn't go to an asylum after Dell's injury.

Pyro wondered, vaguely, if Spy knew the Classic Heavy as well.

Spy flicked the lighter shut and let it fall into his lap. He wrapped one thin and soft hand around Pyro's hand and found the B branded into their skin easily, even in the dark.

His soft fingertips stroked the skin and meditated over the warmth emitting from Pyro, and the comforting weight of their hand. Despite that he had the same brand on his neck, he almost couldn't recognize the shape of it. Spy never touched his own brand, he tried hard not remember it.

Under his fingertips now it was becoming the symbol of something that linked him and the Pyro. It was a thing they both knew, in a serious way that few others knew and survived.


	15. Glow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sketch by Wireskull (wireskull.tumblr.com)

When Spy rolled over to take a quiet morning cigarette in bed, he noticed a photograph on the nightstand. He left the cigarette in his mouth unlit. Pyro was a light sleeper. Pyro was possibly already awake and only laying still until they heard any sound to mean someone else was awake. Striking a match or using his lighter would certainly bring the Pyro's attention.

Spy quietly lifted up the photograph and glanced over it briefly before looking to the back for notes. Nothing was written there so he viewed the image again. Dell was young, barely an adult, in this photo. His arms weren't as thick and round, his cheeks didn't have the shadow of stubble, his smile was sweet and genuine without any danger behind it.

Wrapped in his arms was a woman returning the affectionate gesture with long nimble arms around his shoulders. Thick, red, wild, wavy hair curled around her face and covered the tops of her shoulders. Although it obscured most of her face, it was easy to tell she was beautiful.

Engineer liked men, exclusively. But not every gay man discovers this easily and without experimenting. Spy was impressed, or perhaps even proud of the modest Texan for drawing in such a beautiful girl. He stayed like that, even as he felt Dell pushing himself up in bed to peer over his shoulder.

"Your girlfriend was beautiful." Spy stated simply. "Did you already know you were gay by this time?" He noticed that Engineer's hands held the woman tightly but not in that familiar way a man holds a woman when he is hungry to feel her body in his palms. "I won't judge you. For a woman like this, it is worth experimenting, just in case."

Dell chuckled as he looked over Spy's shoulder at the photo. "We experimented a bit, but it didn't work out, you're right," he said, vaguely. "I hadn't quite figured myself out yet. Can't remember if this photo was taken before or after, though," he admitted, turning it over to look at the back, as Spy had earlier.

Pyro stirred as the two men spoke, sitting up to see what they were looking at. Their eyes brightened with Spy's words. **"Pretty,"** they signed, starting the sign to make their statement a question, but not finishing it.

Spy let Dell take the photograph and study it. He smiled past it at Pyro and nodded, " _Mais oui_. Very pretty." He turned towards Engineer and grinned, the unlit cigarette swayed on his lips and emphasized his expression. "But enough of this 'locker-room' talk. Why talk about this beautiful woman from the past when I can talk about these handsome mercenaries in my bed."

Spy took the photo from Dell's hand and leaned in almost close enough to touch their noses. He slipped the photograph into his cigarette case without needing to look.

Pyro watched the photo disappear into Spy's cigarette case with fascination. It didn't occur to them that Spy was stealing it, only that he took it so smoothly, as though making it disappear. They watched it the way they had watched him flip his knife about his hand.

Dell grinned, giving Spy a quick kiss. "Flatterer," he said, stroking a hand over the back of Spy's neck affectionately.

Spy chuckled, "That's better than calling me 'silver-tongued-devil'." His attention was so focused on Dell, he didn't see Pyro watching his sleight of hand. Spy sat up and lit his cigarette then tucked his kit into his coat pocket. "How long until you speak to me as sweetly as I speak to you?" Spy didn't mind what Dell said. He truthfully found the mild jabs to be charming.

Dell just laughed. "Well I could call you that, if you wanted," he took the cigarette from between Spy's lips, gave Spy a proper kiss, before returning his cigarette. "And let's be honest, I don't know if I'll ever be that charming. You are a handsome devil, but I think you know that."

Pyro felt that same jolt of jealousy watching them kiss. They hoped eventually that would stop.

It was nice to be nearly maskless around Spy, so much more comfortable. They had a much wider field of vision, not to mention they were a much cooler temperature now. Again, they'd slept in pyjama pants and that thick hooded sweatshirt. They looked far more like an average person here with Spy than they had a week ago.

If someone could overlook the respirator.

The kiss made Spy warm even after they separated. The heat was enough to melt his heart. A few more kisses like that and Spy might let himself forget that he was here to collect information, he mused. But it might not be far from the truth, Spy admitted to himself.

He never mentioned to the Administrator what happened to Pyro's bedroom door, after Dell requested privacy on that subject. And he never did, and never would, tell anyone about the fucking machine Dell created.

Maybe he was already forgetting his duty as a spy after those first soft, warm kisses.

Maybe.

Spy let himself smoke his cigarette with a peaceful, meditating expression on his face for moment longer, oblivious to the pain and jealousy the kiss caused Pyro. He finally stood up to find his clothes and dress himself again. Lazy mornings and afternoons in bed, kissing and whispering, was a luxury for gentler men than them. He straightened his tie and stepped out of the room.

Spy knew that either Pyro or Engineer would follow him soon. Engineer trusted him enough to leave some projects on the work tables, but did not trust him enough to leave him alone with them. Either way, the work was too far in the beginning stages for Spy to make any sense of it.

Instead his attention went to the surprisingly colourful images of battle, created with crayon and paper, on Pyro's desk.

Engineer was the one to follow him out. As Spy had thought, he was still not at the point of trusting Spy completely alone in his workshop. Even if he trusted Spy in his bed while he slept. That was a different thing, he told himself.

Pyro let him go, still trying to swallow their envy. They didn't like feeling that way, it felt wrong to feel like that about either of the two men. They were happy Dell was in a relationship, that Dell was happy. They liked seeing him with Spy. They liked Spy! Maybe that was why it hurt in the first place.

"Colourful, aren't they?" Dell chuckled, seeing Spy's eyes on Pyro's artwork. Dell didn't always understand Pyro's art, it was often of their synesthesia, but he did like to look at it.

Spy picked-up a page to look at it more closely and confirm it was an image of the war. But there were no flames, only colourful rainbows streaming like ribbons. The guns were surrounded by bubbles floating up and surrounding the field.

He raised his brow, "Pyro considers themself an artiste?" He pursed his lips, "What is this? A commentary on the fragile ego of warfare, and the arbitrary relation to masculinity?"

Dell just laughed. Of course Spy would find some hidden meaning to the pieces. "Nah, Pyro's got synesthesia. They see colours when they hear sounds. They draw what they see. Their flamethrower, and people screaming on the battlefield, they turn into this," Dell tapped one of the rainbows.

Spy stared at the art as he let the puzzle pieces fall into place. "I see... This explains a lot." His shoulders relaxed and he whispered, "I considered it almost frightening when they seemed to see things in blank spaces that I could not see. I thought they could see hidden cameras or invisible spies." He chuckled and spoke in a more natural tone, "When you play your guitar, they see the music."

Dell nodded as Spy admitted his fear. "Well, they do seem to have a sixth sense for spies," he agreed. "But not like that."

He couldn't help remember what Pyro had told him about listening to Spy's screams as he came while on the fucking machine, and he gave a little smirk. "They love the music, yeah, but apparently it's nothing compared to the sounds you made strapped into my machine," he teased.

Spy tried to not let himself blush, but it was a useless attempt. He felt the warmth in his cheeks equal that night when Dell first showed him the creation.

Spy straightened his tie in an effort to maintain control over something, "It’s a very rare thing to make me lose control of myself like that. Your machine is incredible." Spy smirked, "But to cause me to scream like that for Pyro with no machine at all? Hah.  _Bonne chance_." It wasn't that he wanted to deny Pyro what made them happy. Spy was simply too comfortable behind his barriers and guarded nature to let go in such a way easily

Dell loved to see Spy blush, and he chuckled, patting the man on the back. "We'll see, I suppose. I know what I'm aiming for, at least." Engineer knew the machine would be a problem if discovered, but if it was only built for a night or two, that was hardly going to be an issue, was it? And really, his relationship with Spy would be just as frowned upon as any sex machine he built. Everything had to be kept quiet. "They say your voice looks like wine, when you're speaking," Dell continued, looking over Pyro's pile of colourful drawings with a little smile.

Spy's smile matched Dell's. "Wine? Red wine?" It was flattering to him.

The Frenchman looked over the papers until he found rich dark red almost filling a page. He picked up the art and found the page was wine red and bright gold, swirling and twisting together with splashes of both. Pyro used glitter and nail polish also to make the gold truly unmistakably gold, not simply yellow or orange. "And what is the gold?" Spy asked with intrigue.

“That’d be me,” Dell touched the raised edge of the gold, appreciatively.

The two colours complemented each other well. The inky liquid red and the glittering gold made a beautiful image. Spy understood why Pyro looked on with so much appreciation when he and Dell's limbs and voices entwined in bed.

"It suits you." Spy told him. He never considered the colour that suited each man's voice and yet, as each was presented, it _felt_ right. But not the fire. Spy could not think of the quiet hiss of the torch on Pyro's flamethrower or the roar of the liquid fire to be like rainbows.

Dell nodded. It did suit them, both of them. It was strange, but he often agreed with the way Pyro saw sound. It did suit things, most of the time. They'd described every member of the team's voices to Dell, and he had to admit he found them all fitting.

Personally, he didn't love the hiss or roar of the flamethrower, but it was clearly one of Pyro's favourite sounds. Dell often wondered if that was part of what drew them to fire, or if the fire sounded so good because they were drawn to it.

Spy held the piece up, "You don't think Pyro would mind if I took this, I hope."

Dell shrugged. "You might wanna ask them." He didn't want to promise Spy that Pyro wouldn't mind and have them upset about it.

Spy set it back down and nodded, "Of course."

He passed Pyro's desk to leave Engineer. "Thank you for letting me stay the night." Spy said before opening the door. The gratitude was apparent in his voice, but stepping into the hallway made it evident he didn't want to discuss it.

It was a jarring and unexpected to first be unmasked and then learn how familiar his partners were with the Classic team. That night was far from the usual mood of lust and flirtation and slowly breaking through inhibitions. But it was wholesome and meaningful to settle into bed with these two nonetheless.

Engineer let Spy go with a wordless nod, and then locked up the door again. He turned and considered his machine, but waved a hand at it, shrugging that duty off for later. Instead, he leaned into the bedroom, "Mornin' Firebug. Are you lookin' for breakfast? Or do you want to come on out and help me build stuff?"

Pyro came out, shedding their enormous hooded sweatshirt in favour of an undershirt. They nodded, "I'll help."

For all that Pyro needed to eat a fair bit to keep up with the work they did as a mercenary, they tended not to care much about food. It helped that they weren't able to taste anything and most of what they ate was whatever Engineer made into a smoothie for them.

"You think Spy was upset?" they asked. "A lot happened last night."

Engineer shook his head, "Nah. You didn't do anything wrong." He hoisted a heavy box of tools onto the work table and motioned to sheets of metal to direct Pyro to retrieve them.

It seemed to be the appropriate time for Spy to take off his mask. Dell knew the Spy very intimately, shouldn't he know his face? But if the roles were reversed and Spy unmasked Pyro... Dell doubted he would be as forgiving.

Dell asked, just to be sure, "You're going to ask him before you take his mask off next time, right?"

Pyro nodded, "Of course. I didn't think about it, I just did it."

They hadn't intended to unmask Spy. They hadn't ever intended to unmask him! They knew how important masks were, if anyone would. They'd just reacted to the danger of burning him without thinking. But as soon as they'd exposed themself, Spy seemed to forgive them.

Still, Spy had learned other things about them that he hadn't been too keen on. He'd stayed the night, but what if he couldn't get past Pyro's origins?

Pyro lifted a few sheets of metal, carrying them over to where Engineer directed them.

Engineer hoped that now, because the secret was out, Spy would unmask himself when asked. Dell suspected Spy wouldn't. He was sure Spy kept a disguise over his full body. He certainly noticed how the slight man never bruised no matter how fierce the battles were, or how hard he was bitten.

Despite being seen totally undone, screaming on the fucking machine, Spy still held onto the disguises he hid behind.

Pyro, on the other hand, had no idea that Spy would disguise himself. They understood hiding, but not in that way. Cloaking to them only meant cloaking as another team member, or becoming invisible, not hiding imperfections.

They held the sheet of metal steady for Dell, letting him guide them.

Dell made careful marks with a ruler. "It's nice having you back in bed with us again." He commented on the time Pyro took to be alone. Spy and Engineer found their own rhythm, of course. And it was intense to have the undistracted attention of the Spy. But Engineer missed the Pyro when they weren't there to pin down his partner and make him squirm. "It was real nice seeing you get involved. Holdin' him down, playin' with fire..."

Pyro was pleased that Dell wanted them back in bed with him and Spy. They knew he liked having them around, but hearing it was nice. "I'm happy to be with you both," they agreed.

Dell handed Pyro a new tool to cut through the metal of the sheet and create the exact shapes he needed. Holding a sheet of metal and a heavy pair of metal cutting scissors, Pyro looked like a much more industrial version of when they cut up paper for their own crafts.

"Are you thinking of askin' him to let you use fire on him?" He hurriedly spoke, before Pyro could answer, "I'm just sayin’! He's probably never going to suggest it. And if he does, well I'm not going to trust what he is trying to get out of it. But maybe you can show him how you play with fire and it ain't how your mama does it."

Pyro focused for a moment on the shape they were cutting out, not wanting to get distracted and ruin anything. "I don't know if he'd like that," Pyro huffed out a sigh. "Especially after learning about Bea. I don't think I want to suggest it yet. I don't want to scare him."

They knew fire was frightening to most people, especially to someone like Spy who had been on the other end of Bea's brand. In a lot of ways, Pyro was surprised that Spy didn't have more scars. Bea wasn't exactly known for being gentle. But maybe she'd just hurt his face, maybe that was what that was from. Pyro wasn't sure it was ok to ask.

Engineer nodded, "There's no rush, firebug." He took the shapes as Pyro cut them. Dell used a tool in one hand and the gunslinger to bend and create the shell of his new machine. "I just want to make sure you're having as much fun as we are." Dell assured. Engineer set down the piece he was working on and picked up a new piece Pyro cut free. "You aren't a third wheel in this  _ménage à trois_." He ruined the words but some of the meaning was still there.

Pyro shrugged. They were having fun. They did want more. But they knew they weren't quite ready for it yet. Once they were a little more comfortable, once they could no longer resist, they would remove their suit and let Spy see them and touch them. Then, they were sure all kinds of new experiences were bound to happen. But for now, they knew they'd already nearly pushed Spy away revealing their parentage. They would keep quiet for a little while and let Spy adjust. They could wait.

Pyro loved watching Dell work with metal, the gunslinger moving and bending things like magic.

"I know I'm not." They hadn't really thought of themself as more than a third wheel until the night at the bonfire, when Spy had come after them when he could have stayed with Dell, in bed, enjoying his afterglow. It had solidified the relationship they had with Spy a lot. Feeling the blindfolded Spy fuck them had certainly helped too. "I'm happy with the way things are, for now," Pyro assured him. "I'd be happy even if Spy never let me burn him."

They were a little surprised to find that was true. They wanted a lot of things with Spy, and though they would love to burn him, if Spy didn't want that, Spy still let them play with fire in bed with him. That was good enough.

Engineer grinned. He knew Pyro's sexuality. After experimenting together once, and letting Pyro join him with his partners several times, he knew they didn't always find sexual pleasure the way most people did.

Now Pyro admitted that they might be happy with Spy even if they never were allowed to burn him. This would be a very easy to believe statement coming from anybody else. But coming from Pyro, Engineer was back to square one, trying to understand their motivation. It didn't occur to him that maybe Pyro would be happy because they were falling in love.


	16. Scorching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we see a bit more of Spy's past

Spy was tired after a long battle, but not too tired to enjoy the sunset on the desert landscape. He was sweaty, his fine white shirt clung to his chest and back, and he felt the grime and dust on his face where the balaclava exposed his skin. He wanted to bathe, but it was rare for the fighting to end before sundown, and it seemed appropriate to stop and enjoy this sunset first.

He was enjoying it, so much that he didn't care to look behind him when he heard a door open and footsteps approaching him. When the man behind him spoke, he was entirely too close, and entirely too loud.

"Hit the showers, Frenchie!" Soldier shouted at a volume and pitch that immediately made every nerve under Spy's skin become pin pricks.

He spun on his heel to face the Soldier but couldn't bring up words.

Soldier only stepped closer to him, so near to his face that Spy could feel the heat of his breath when he shouted, "I want to hear a SIR, YES, SIR when I'm done talking!"

The horrible prickling sensation became more intense and seemed to turn inward. It was hard to breathe, it was hard to think. He needed to run, or fight, or say something to make this stop, but some crushing fear that pain was unavoidable consumed him.

"Do you hear me, Private?!" Soldier was so near that their noses could touch, daring Spy to respond if he was not completely frozen in fear. "I know you can goddamn hear me now!" The American became louder yet.

The terrible volume and aggressive tone in Soldier's voice was too much like the Classic Heavy's. The Soldier appeared to grow taller to match the height of the Classic, he was towering over Spy completely before he realised his legs became rubber beneath him and lowered him to the ground. Despite the heat of the desert, Spy felt incredibly cold. A new damp sweat coated him, his stomach turned, and his chest clenched so tightly he couldn't breathe.

Still the Soldier shouted. "What is your name, Private? Tell me your goddamned name if you have one! No? Then your name is fucking Private White-Flag. Do you want to be Private White-Flag?!"

Spy knew that he should fight. Could anyone stop him if he bounced to his feet and started to run? Could this man find him if he cloaked? He had a knife, he could kill this man and deal with the consequences later! Despite his plans to fight, the thoughts were like far off pleas of someone watching from a distance. His mind was far away and caught between trying to convince him to act, and trying to become totally unaware of anything happening. Spy was a prisoner in a body that became his enemy, paining him before Soldier even touched him.

Soldier stood over Spy and tilted his head to stare down his nose, past the brim of the helmet. The stream of words never ended but Spy stopped hearing their meaning.

Dell heard yelling and at first he ignored it. Soldier was always yelling and it was getting easier for him to tune it out. However, he caught the word ‘Frenchie’ and couldn’t help but perk up. Soldier was yelling at Spy. Spy always seemed to disappear around Solly, but this time the shouting continued at length.

Engineer jogged over to the origin of the screaming and threw his toolbox down with a crash to interrupt Soldier’s tirade. Spy was on the ground in front of Soldier, pale and sweating. It was easy to see why Soldier had targeted him; he looked like death.

“Solly, get the heck outta here,” Dell snapped, in a rare display of real temper. “Don’t make me report you to our superiors.” That sort of threat seemed like it would work best with Soldier, who only respected the chain of command.

Pyro heard the toolbox crash and followed Engineer over to the ruckus. Soldier’s yelling was that awful mix of orange and green. They were angry colours that surrounded the loud man in sharp jabs and lightning quick streaks. They spotted Spy and knelt down by him, signing, **“Sick?”**

He certainly looked sick, but more than that, he looked afraid. Pyro didn’t like that expression on their Spy. He always had a clever remark and was in control of himself. Now he just looked stunned and small. Pyro didn’t dare touch him yet.

Soldier stood up and faced Dell. He announced, "This is YOUR duty now!" He saluted with a loud, "DiiiiiisMISSED!" and left.

Spy tried to force away the urge to vomit. Dry heaves wracked his body and he spat his cigarette onto the dirt. It landed between Pyro's knees and he looked up at the bug-eyed mask with wild, unfocused, wet eyes. The fear in his face felt obvious, but he hoped Pyro didn't see it when they asked if he was sick.

What was worse? To say he was embarrassingly ill with a cold? Or sick with poison? Or to say the truth? That he was a participant in this war despite suffering from debilitating shell shock. He settled for a nod without explaining. Spy could decide what to let them know if they pressed for information later.

Pyro shuffled over to sit beside Spy, taking off their gloves and rubbing a hand over his back sympathetically. It looked like he was going to be sick and sitting beside him seemed safer than sitting in front. They wished they could take off their mask, give him something more comforting than their mask to look at.

Engineer scowled at Soldier as he left. “Damn fool,” he muttered. He went to Spy’s other side. “You alright, darlin’?” He wasn’t normally one for pet names with Spy, but a sick Spy was different. “Need a hand up? We can get you straight to the doc.”

Spy immediately shook his head when Dell mentioned the Medic. With a deep breath he forced himself up to sit, certain he could convince them he was feeling better. But the movement made him feel worse and he nearly collapsed back to the dusty ground. " _Non, s'il te plaît_. Take me to my room, not the Medic," he answered in a hoarse groan.

He rolled onto his back, feeling helpless and horrible for it. If he stood up he was certain he would fall over. "I need only a moment to collect myself."

Spy collapsed further and Dell exchanged a worried look with Pyro. He was looking worse and worse. Dell wanted to take him to Medic, but he wouldn’t force him. “Alright, whatever you need,” he agreed, putting the back of his hand over Spy’s forehead. He was cold, sweating through his mask. “You take that side, let’s get him up,” Dell suggested, looping an arm under Spy’s and lifting him into a sitting position.

Pyro did the same on Spy’s other side and together they stood him up. He was weak and wobbly between them, but with both of them holding him, they got him walking. Engineer left his toolbox where it was for the moment. He could grab it later.

Spy was glad to be up and moving. He focused his thoughts on the goal: his room. He could lock himself in and 'lick his wounds' with privacy. Although he wasn't sure if he wanted to be totally alone and left in privacy.

Spy looked over at Engineer, watching their path and looking for anyone who might interrupt them. He looked to Pyro, who continued to watch him, possibly with concern, but it was hard to know.

"Thank you, for helping me." Putting him on his feet and bringing him to his room was important. But all of his gratitude was that they interrupted Soldier and sent him away. He dreaded to think how long he would have been on the dirt, trying to block out the angry screaming, if his partners didn't find him.

“Of course,” Engineer said, as though that was the only reaction that had been reasonable. He assumed that Soldier had targeted Spy because of his sickness.

Pyro, in the other hand, was pretty sure that Spy was upset _because_ of Soldier. He’d just looked so afraid and lost, in a way Pyro had never expected to see in Spy. Once they got him to his room, Pyro turned and left after murmuring something to Engineer.

Dell nodded, holding Spy up as he unlocked his door, then helping him in and back into the hidden room to his bed. Dell sat at the edge of the bed. He untied Spy’s shoes and pulled them off to lay Spy’s feet on the bed without getting his sheets dirty.

“I don’t want to push you right now, but you’ll feel a lot better without your mask on,” he said, voice soft. “Pyro’ll be back in a minute with some water and a wet cloth for you, so you can wash your face at least.” Engineer knew skipping a shower after battle was uncomfortable, and being so sick and sweaty besides must be almost painful, especially for someone as fastidious as Spy.

Spy collapsed into the bed. He didn't bother to resist Engineer. The will to fight was gone since his knees hit the ground in front of Soldier. But he was glad Engineer was tenderly caring for him.

The suggestion didn't scare Spy, but possibly because he couldn't be more anxious than he was in that moment. He raised a hand and fumbled over his face briefly before pulling the mask off. Spy looked worse than ever, if he judged himself. His naked skin was browned with sweat and dust, the rest of his face was pale and sweat-slicked.

He was motionless and the scars on his cheeks were fully on display now. They were sunken stars on his cheeks where a Sniper's bullet passed through his face, proving enough skill to kill him... if that was the intention when he was shot. Maybe he would regret it later, but in this moment he couldn't care. If he ruined Dell's attraction to him because of the scars, then certainly the attraction was ruined when he was cold sweating in the dirt, holding back his vomit.

Dell stroked his hand over Spy’s hair gently, humming quietly. He kicked off his own boots so he could sit up on Spy’s bed properly. He was glad Spy had removed the mask without a fuss. The scars were bad but he was used to Pyro’s old injury, and scars didn’t bother Dell.

Pyro came in a few minutes later, a few things in hand. Their half mask respirator was hooked on their belt and they were carrying a glass of water, a wet cloth, and Dell’s guitar. Dell always played for them when they were sick, so surely it would help Spy. They did as the other two had, removing their boots before getting up on the bed.

They handed the guitar to Dell, then delicately wiped Spy’s face, making sure to be careful of his eyes. They were a little surprised his mask was off, but glad. Surely it felt nice to be out of it.

Dell chuckled as he saw what Pyro had brought. He took the guitar and gently picked out a quiet melody, something low and sweet.

Pyro turned their back to Spy and pulled their mask off, replacing it immediately with the respirator before turning back around, revealing their striking green eyes and buzzed head. They lay on their side next to Spy, one hand resting lightly on his shoulder. The guitar tinged everything green but it wasn’t as distracting as usual, their focus fully on Spy.

Every nerve in Spy's body was vibrating with nervous anticipation. Even if he knew his team's Soldier would not assault him physically, the situation triggered memories that made torture seem impending. As much as he feared the pain of torture, he was prepared for it. The tender and kind touches were too soft. It was so tender it hurt, if that was possible, if such a thing existed.

Spy let the Pyro wash his face, but felt tears pricking at his eyes. He kept his eyes shut until he was sure he had control over himself. When Spy opened his eyes he saw Pyro's very human face. The bottom half of their face was hidden behind the respirator, but their green eyes communicated all the care and concern they were feeling.

Spy was silent for a long time, unable to allow himself to speak. He was too certain that if he asked them to stay, or leave, or if he tried to explain himself, his voice might crack. He might cry, and if he let himself cry in front of these two mercenaries he didn't know what else might come out.

The music was the only sound for a long time, possibly an hour, before Spy spoke. "Soldier reminds me of the Classic Heavy," Spy explained. "They're both very loud... and very aggressive." Surely they knew this, but they were never a target of the Classic Heavy. "Classic Heavy gets very close to one's face to threaten them, and if one is close enough to be threatened in this way, they live to regret it."

Dell kept playing for as long as Spy was silent, slowing and finally stopping when Spy spoke up. He frowned deeply. He hadn’t thought this to be a reaction to Soldier. He should have considered that. Of course, knowing that Spy had been tortured by Bea, he should have figured out that he’d likely had run-ins with more of the team.

Pyro’s eyes widened and they felt a cold dread fill their chest. They’d known Bea hurt people, they knew Marcus was a mercenary, but knowing that he tortured Spy... Pyro stayed still, quiet, not wanting Spy to know how upset they were. How could Spy forgive their parentage again? Why did they come from such bad people?

Dell glanced over at Pyro, knowing just what the Firebug was thinking. They stayed quiet and Dell let them. He wouldn’t make them tell Spy anything they didn’t want him to know.

“I didn’t realize Solly’s screaming was that bad for you,” Dell admitted. “I’ll see if I can get him off your back.” He rubbed his hand over Spy’s hair again, relishing touching it instead of a mask.

Spy shook his head. He appreciated the effort but didn't believe it would work. "I’ve never heard that man speak with an appropriate volume," he stated. "And if anyone asks why?" Spy questioned. "Men come home from war with shell shock. They don't go to war in this state. If I'm found out, the team will consider me useless." Of course that was a fair belief.

He suddenly worried the Engineer and Pyro doubted him as a team member. "My personal issues do not involve the enemy Soldier. I rarely need to encounter him. I am often already infiltrating the enemy base while he is on the front lines attacking our base."

“I’d never say anything about it. I’ll try to get the man to lower his volume in general, if I can,” Engineer assured him. “You keep our secrets and we keep yours.” He ran his thumb over Spy’s temple. “Just rest up today and don’t worry about anything. We ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

Pyro nodded, but they were still distracted, lost in their own terrible thoughts. How could they tell Spy? But worse than that, how could they _lie_ to him?

Spy nodded to Dell's words as if he spoke for himself and Pyro. His hand stroked Pyro's shaved scalp, fully unaware of what they weren't saying. The movement reminded him how filthy he was when he felt the clothing moving on his skin. "I need a bath," he groaned and pushed himself to sit up. His mind was in a much better place, but the anxiety that gripped him left him feeling weak. Spy put his head in his hand and groaned.

“C’mon,” Dell stood, offering him a hand up. “I’ll get you there and take care of you, alright?”

Pyro was happy Dell volunteered. This way they could go get some comfy clothes to sleep in and hopefully have a shower of their own. They weren’t happy to sleep in their suit unless they had to. With a quick word to Dell, they left.

Spy let Engineer help him up. "It isn't far," he said, speaking of his private bathroom, not the large shower room used by the team.

The large room had originally had a bathroom attached to it. It had stalls and urinals when Spy took it and had plenty of room to allow him to create a rather extravagant bathing room with a clawfoot tub. This door was flush with the wall and only visible where a line cut in the wallpaper made the shape of a door.

Dell laughed when he saw the bathroom. Of course Spy had his own private bathroom, it was so like the man. And the clawfoot tub was very much Spy.

Spy opened the door and sat on the edge of the tub. He needed a moment to organize his thoughts to decide what step came next if he wanted to bathe. He needed to undress for the water, which meant the cloaking watch would come off. Spy looked up at Dell with a raised brow. "I don't think I need help for sitting in a bath."

"You're pretty unsteady," Dell disagreed, his face concerned. "I don't think I should leave you alone, you don't wanna end up in respawn because you drowned in the bath."

Spy chuckled darkly but agreed, "You're right. I don't." He’d found that dying to escape those evenings full of terrible memories didn't free him from anything, it only added the unsettling sickness of respawn to the pain.

While he let hot water flow into the tub, he undressed without any of the glamour and grace he often used. Instead, he even leaned on the Engineer to remove his socks.

Dell let Spy lean most of his weight on him while he undressed, supporting him as best as he could.

Spy considered if he even wanted to hide his scars and tattoos any more. He was unmasked, and exhausted, and simply sick. What dignity could he lose? Perhaps something worse, he risked losing this company. If Dell saw him fully naked, with every scar and tattoo that marred his skin, from neck to toe, he would realize that even Spy's appearance was a lie. If Dell felt betrayed and wanted to argue... No. Spy couldn't handle that now.

Spy took a bottle of soap and poured it generously into the bathtub to let it fill with bubbles. When the bath was full, he let Engineer hold his arm and help him settle in up to his neck, beneath a thick covering of bubbles. "Oh, this can't get wet," Spy said as he unfastened his watch and held it in his palm for Dell.

Engineer watched curiously as Spy added enough bubbles to the water to completely obscure himself. Dell smiled a little sadly. Spy was hiding himself, hiding whatever scars or marks he'd been covering up with his cloak in the opaque water.

Dell opened his mouth to protest that Spy didn't need to hide, that he knew... but looking at Spy's face, he knew now wasn't the time. The man needed support, not an even more emotional and possibly upsetting conversation. Spy must hide for a reason. Pyro was still hiding, after all, and if Dell could understand that, surely he could let Spy keep his secrets too.

Dell took the watch without a word, setting it down carefully. He was curious to see how Spy intended to get out of the tub without him seeing, but he was sure he had a plan.

Engineer knelt next to the tub, stroking a hand over Spy's hair slowly, watching the man relax incrementally. "That's better," he murmured. "Once I get you back to bed, I'm gonna go take a shower. I'll make sure Firebug's with you before I go."

He didn't feel that Spy should be left alone right now. And he was sure by the time Spy was done here, Pyro would have finished their shower and gotten everything they needed for bed.

Spy's head rolled back with effort. The water was hot but not enough to melt away the knots in his shoulders so soon.

"You will both stay the night,  _non_?" Spy was hopeful and anxious. Spy's brow was furrowed as he thought carefully how to phrase the question he wanted to ask. "Did you do this before for someone? Caring for someone sick with fear from shell shock? You know what to say and do, it isn't something that comes naturally to all people."

Dell stroked his fingers over Spy's neck, gently, not drifting below the bubbles even though he was curious.

"Of course we will, as long as you want us there," Dell nodded. "And... no. I cared for Pyro after their accident, and," he lifted his gunslinger, " after my own accident, I remember what made me feel better. But it's a different thing. I'm just glad we can help."

Dell never told even Pyro, but he still had nightmares about the day he burned his hand. It had been horrific, a waking nightmare, and even now sometimes he couldn't stand big fires. Pyro felt guilty enough for what had happened, even though Dell never blamed them. It had been their joint stupidity that had caused the fire. He couldn't share how much the fear and pain stayed with him, without upsetting his friend.

Maybe he could tell Spy.

 _But not tonight_ , he thought. Spy had enough on his plate.


	17. Enkindled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so much more revealed
> 
> sketch by Wireskull (wireskull.tumblr.com)

Spy's fingertips left the water to touch Dell's hand. Even the small glimpse of his skin showed scars: little marks on the tip of each finger lining up under under his nails. Definitely  scars from torture where something was forced under his fingernails.

"Dell, I want to be sure you understand, this is different than a physical wound." Spy was careful to describe it. He was sure Dell understood without being told, but Spy was drowning in guilt that he was accepting help for a hopeless case. "No matter how you help me feel better, if I'm trapped confronting Soldier again in a situation like this evening, I will be here again: sick and useless." Spy shrugged. "It doesn't matter if this is every month, or several years away." He pushed his fingers between Dell's. "I don't want you to let yourself be exhausted by this. It isn't your burden, it's my own."

Dell tore his eyes away from the scars at Spy's fingertips to meet his eyes. "Spy." He squeezed his hand gently. His accent seemed to thicken as he felt more emotional. "I know it ain't physical, and I know it ain't gonna go away. I have my own nightmares. Not so bad as yours, I know, but..." He shrugged, suddenly feeling a little wrong-footed, hoping that Spy would understand what he was trying to say. "I ain’t goin' nowhere. You're stuck with me."

Spy's eyes softened, "Dell... I'm beginning to have the impression that this relationship is also not only physical."

He asked if Engineer cared for someone with such deep emotional wounds, not thinking the Texan might have those deep wounds himself. It was a silly oversight to think he didn't have his own traumas. But he could hardly think about that now with the Texan's deep and thoughtful tone echoing in his mind. "No matter how your nightmares are, I'll be with you," Spy assured with the same intention behind his words.

“It’s been more than that for a little while now,” Dell agreed. He felt his heart swell as Spy made a similar promise to him. “You ain’t gonna run now that we’re getting serious?” Dell was only half joking. He could definitely imagine Spy leaving before things got too intense for him.

Spy chuckled at the joke. " _Non_." He shook his head, "As you say, I'm stuck with you. And I like it like this."

Dell was glad to hear that Spy was comfortable with the way things were turning out. At this point it'd hurt all three of them if he left.

Spy turned the broad hand on his shoulder to rest palm up, and he turned on his side in the bath to rest his cheek in the palm. The European sighed heavily and rested the full weight of his head in the hand, trusting that Dell wouldn't drop him under the water.

With this position one of his shoulders raised up out of the water. A layer of bubbles spread out over his skin but a large black tattoo that was never apparent before covered his shoulder.

"Dell, I wanted to shelter you from even speaking of anything I did before coming to Teufort. But it all comes out, I see now. It was foolish to hide it, my life is a part of me, it is inked and scarred into me. Before you commit to that, that you aren't going anywhere, you should know this."

Engineer carefully kept Spy's head up, taking the weight easily. At first he tried to ignore the dark tattoo that swam into view through the bubbles, but as Spy spoke, he glanced at it.

He couldn't help but smile at Spy. "Oh, darlin'," he chuckled. "I knew. Don't think you were fooling me that someone in your line of work, at your age, who'd _met Bea for chrissake_ , had so few scars."

Spy paused for a full half-beat before he exclaimed, "You knew?!" His voice cracked and was hoarse and raw. He coughed to try to clear his throat while he considered Dell's reasoning.

He was so sure he exposed enough scars and enough tattoos that he wasn't using a suspiciously blank canvas as his body. But Dell's voice seemed to say that he knew and he knew long enough to never feel betrayed, or to at least overcome that and forgive Spy.

"You didn't mind that you were the only partner naked, when we three were in bed together?" Spy asked. For how much he commented on Pyro wearing their suit or covering up fully, it was a sign of Dell's patience to not point out that Spy was covering himself as much.

Dell stroked his thumb over Spy's cheek. "I've known since I first saw you naked. I've been kinda hoping your cloak would fail if I bit you hard enough," he teased gently. "I figured if Pyro wasn't ready yet, maybe you weren't either. Though I'd rather you'd said something, explained that you were hiding instead of just hiding. ...Pyro doesn't know, so don't give them a shock, alright?"

Dell had never mentioned it to Pyro, in fear that Spy would never reveal himself. Pyro was many things, but subtle wasn't one of them. It would have come out sooner or later, and Dell wanted it to happen more naturally than that.

That thought led him back to their earlier conversation, and Pyro's lack of a response to Spy's fear of the Classic Heavy.

"Firebug ain't likely to say anything about this for awhile, and it'll just make them more and more upset if they don't..." Dell sighed. He knew they'd forgive him for saying something, as long as Spy could understand. And at this point, Dell figured Spy owed the two of them some understanding. "They never told you who their father was."

Spy groaned immediately and wondered briefly what could be the worst option. The Classic Spy? His idol and inspiration who unfortunately thought very little of him? The Sniper who shot him clearly through the cheeks and destroyed his molars? The Classic Heavy, who—? That was it. That was definitely the worst thing to have in his bed.

"The Classic Heavy and the Classic Pyro made our Firebug?" Spy asked, although he knew the answer. He knew the team was close-knit, but this was beyond what he expected. "Anything else? Perhaps they also have a distant uncle or father-in-law on the team?"

Dell was glad he didn't have to spell it out for Spy. The man was too clever for that. Though, really, Dell wasn't too sure he believed Marcus was really Pyro's father.

"That's what I was told, anyway, but..." he sighed again. "I knew Bea. She wasn't a subtle woman. I think she had half the team wrapped around her finger and," Dell groaned, "I've never said anything about it, but Firebug looks an awful lot like the Scout. And if you want to talk about uncles," he shook his head, "I know they were mercenaries, they did terrible things, but Firebug does—or did, at least—consider most of them family. Bea and Marcus weren't all that interested in caring for a child, so my parents stepped up. We visited the base pretty often. We grew up around the Classic team. For god's sake, they taught us to shoot and fight," he admitted. "We were sheltered from a lot of it, Pyro especially, but there was no hiding Bea's nature, or keeping us away from weapons."

Dell slid his hand down to Spy's shoulder, stroking his wet skin. He was aware that he was potentially making them both terrifying to Spy, but he felt the truth couldn't keep coming out in little bits and pieces. Spy deserved to know them as they were.

The hand wiped away the thin layer of bubbles and exposed an aged tattoo of a double-headed eagle. Numbers and letters in the center referenced a division of the Austrian military he served in. Or, at least, that he pretended to serve in. It was partially ruined by two bullet holes clearly cleaned and closed with some creativity on the battlefield. Spy felt the eyes on his markings but let Dell take in the image. He had worse tattoos than this to explain when they were seen.

He waited for anything else and then asked, "Is that it? Your mother isn't from that team?" The relationship between Pyro and Engineer and the Classic team was so tight and interwoven, they were part of that team almost. "Do you ever wonder what side you will fight on, if we must fight them some day?" Spy asked.

He realized how strange it was to ask someone this. Not everyone even trusted their own spy to be a teammate to depend on. But Spy wasn't asking for loyalty to the team. He wondered only, if he encountered the Classic team again in battle and found himself in the hands of the Classic Pyro, would his Engineer and Pyro defend their spy, or their parents’ team?

Moving slowly, and with great care, Engineer traced his fingers over the bullet holes. In many ways, it was surprising Spy had survived that.

"No, my mama was no mercenary. Tough as nails, but the only reason she ever held a gun was to keep our livestock safe." Dell gently squeezed Spy's shoulder. "I don't think I could fight. There's not much love lost between me and most of the team, but..."

Dell would never fight his father.

He'd wondered before how things would go if indeed their teams were called to fight each other. Would Pyro fight? Dell had always suspected they wouldn't, that anything he did, they would do. But lately he'd been unsure. They hadn't spoken to anyone on the Classic team in years. One of their last experiences with the team was getting part of their lower jaw blown off. It didn't exactly make for good memories.

"My daddy ain't ever gonna leave his team," Dell finished, his expression unhappy.

Spy felt a pit in his stomach while Dell explained he couldn't fight his family. In the worst moments when he tried to not remember the Classic team, he assured himself that he wouldn't be captured and tortured again. Hoping that Dell would fight the Classic team, if it came to that, meant a lot in assuring himself he was safe. Unfortunately, Dell didn't bring that satisfaction in his words. The Texan only knew he wouldn't fight his father.

"I understand." Spy forced the answer out with great attention to keep his voice level and calm. Spy could only hope that he would never be given the contract of going after the Classic team again, and that the Classic team would never find any reason to attack Team Fortress.

"I know that wasn't exactly comforting." He wished he could answer Spy honestly in a more comforting way, but he knew he couldn't fight his father. There was just no way. "I think Pyro might have more of the answer you're looking for." It seemed likely, anyway, seeing how close Spy and Pyro were becoming, that Pyro would land on Spy's side of things. "You about ready to come out?" Dell asked.

Spy sat up and lifted his head from Dell's palm. " _Oui_. I'm nearly falling asleep here." The soothing bath and caring company did a lot to calm him.

Even if Dell would not be his ally against the Classic team if needed.

He reached for a towel and, even through the partial cover of bubbles, it was clear that Spy was heavily marked by his history as a spy. A large burn scar stretched up one side, destroying the bottom of a prison gang tattoo under his arm. A large pink patch on his arm showed where a tattoo was carved out of his skin when it was found out he had never earned it.

"You'll hand to me my watch, I hope." He wrapped the towel around his waist quickly when he stood up and took another towel to dry himself. "You said it's best not to surprise Pyro with this, _c'est ça_?"

Dell gave Spy a once over before taking Spy's second towel and helping him dry off. "It'd be better if you told them first. And let's get you dry before you put your watch on." Dell pulled Spy close once he was mostly dry, wrapping an arm around his waist and pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "I'd understand if you didn't want to show them tonight," he said, finally handing Spy his watch and gathering up his clothes. They would need to be washed, it made no sense to dress Spy in them after he'd just gotten clean.

Spy gripped the vanity as Dell started to dry him off. The man wasn't intending to be rough, he was sure, but the vigorous motions unsteadied him. He was glad when they were finished and he was pulled into welcoming arms and a kiss on his shoulder.

In the mirror in front of him he could watch Engineer's expression during the soft kiss on his shoulder. Spy rarely looked at his own body like this and saw how marked his skin was. Often, when he saw this reflection, he didn't even see it as his own. But somehow, seeing Dell's broad hand resting on his torso to hold him near, and his head barely bowed to kiss the shoulder, it was easier to look at his reflection and not dislike it.

"I'll tell them. Not tonight, but... I won't wait too long." Spy fastened the watch and set it, and his skin was pristine and white and marked by only a few fresh tattoos and handsome scars.

Dell supported Spy on his way to bed and waited until Pyro came back from their shower, wrapped in their usual sleeping attire. They'd felt bold enough to wear the half-mask through the hallway, since they were wearing their hood up, but no one had seen them anyway.

They were still feeling upset about Spy's revelations and their own relation to his torturers. It wasn't hard for them to believe their parents were capable of it, but they just hadn't known about it, to this extent. They felt nothing but guilt, and sympathy for Spy. There was no forgiveness or understanding for their parents' actions.

With Spy safely tucked in and with Pyro, Dell headed out for his own shower.


	18. Luminous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the first of the chapters to not get art! I'm sorry, I tried and tried and nothing looked decent, so... NO ART

Spy settled into bed and was glad to see Pyro, despite what he learned about their family. Despite that Dell encouraged him to ask Pyro about his allegiance regarding the Classic team, he was reluctant. Spy was glad Dell was honest that he could not fight his father. But it did nothing to comfort him and it left a fear that Pyro's answer would be the same.

The international man of mystery, lady-and man-killer, was uncharacteristically timid and quite careful when shaken so far down to his core. Spy cupped Pyro's cheek, the heel of his hand was on the respirator for the gesture, and that he appreciated seeing their face was clear.

"Will you hold me, please? Tightly." Spy's free hand guided Pyro's hand around his body. Although he was seeking the firm and unyielding hold of the Pyro, he did not want what they usually did, to be restrained by the wrists.

Spy seemed especially unsettled and Pyro felt another deep pang of sympathy. They drew him into their arms, squeezing him close. It was strange to have Spy in their arms when they weren't wearing their suit, surely he could feel a lot more of their body than he could have before. But at the moment, it didn't worry Pyro. They worked their fingers through Spy's hair slowly, hoping it would help relax him.

They wished they could say something comforting, but with their arms wrapped around Spy, there was no way for them to communicate. They'd have to hope Spy understood how they felt.

Pyro felt responsible for Spy's pain right now. It hadn't been them, but they'd come from that. It was part of them. They felt tears prickling at their eyes and swallowed them back. They suddenly wished for their full mask, then at least Spy wouldn't notice if they cried.

Spy didn't realize how exhausted he was. When the arms closed around him it took little time for him to fall asleep, and in fact stay asleep, even when Engineer joined them.

Engineer slid into the bed as quietly as he could and whispered, "He's asleep?"

He’d hoped the Spy would stay awake and talk with Pyro as much as they had talked. It made it an awkward situation for Engineer, who knew more about the troubled thoughts in Spy's mind. He didn't want to tell Pyro what they had talked about, or tell them what to say to Spy.

But maybe he could prepare his companion a little. Before he could speak he suddenly noticed the moisture in their eyes.

"Aww, Firebug... I know we never saw this side of our parents' work before, but it isn't our fault. Our Spy isn't the only spy they did this to." He put a hand on Pyro's hand and squeezed. "Only a dang fool would think we're responsible for that mess." But he couldn't deny that Spy was concerned about their relationship to the Classic team. "He just needs to know where our loyalties are. If it comes down to it, and we need to go to war with the Classic team," Dell assured them.

Maybe Pyro's answer would be the same as his. Maybe it would be different. But now Pyro was prepared to give their answer.

Pyro reached an arm out for Dell without disturbing Spy, squeezing back. Though Dell’s reassurance was appreciated, it didn’t alleviate their guilt. Still, they nodded. They could understand Spy being afraid.

"I wouldn't let them hurt Spy," they murmured, trying to be understood while keeping their voice down at the same time. As much as they had grown up with the Classic team, had learned a lot from them, it was different.

After their accident, none of them had learned sign language. They had mostly gotten scolded for being careless enough to get themself hurt. And as far as they knew, only Bea had been against them being sent to the asylum, besides Dell, of course. They still hadn’t really figured out why she had suddenly stood up for them, after having so little to do with them all that time. But either way, their family had suddenly seemed a lot more distant and cold than they had remembered as a child. They still had some fond memories of them growing up, but they no longer felt the same attachments they once had.

They remembered boxing with the Soldier, learning to shoot with the Sniper, trying to keep up with the Scout on his runs, following Bea around in a hopeless attempt to play with her flamethrower and learning about tools with Dell and his father. 

But once they’d returned to visit the team when they were older, it had never been the same.

The three of them were soon passed out together, Spy pressed between the two of them.

 

***

 

Spy slept until exhaustion gave way to a dull ache in his muscles. He opened his eyes to Pyro's face and studied it in silence.

Engineer was correct that Pyro did not resemble the Classic Heavy much. Or even a little. It was hard to recognize much when half of their face was covered, but they seemed to have the long and slim face of the Classic Scout, as well as his red hair. Of course, Spy wasn't too bothered by heritage. Blood meant nothing. That Pyro's mother was also a Pyro and Engineer's father was an Engineer was not genetic, right? The blood relationship to that team didn't necessarily mean they were loyal to that team, right?

Spy whispered, "Pyro. Wake up." He carefully untangled their arms to leave Pyro free to sign. "I know your father was a mercenary of the Classic team. I know your parents are responsible for... a lot. But I understand it wasn't you. I’m not fearful of you for that."

Pyro stirred, brows coming together a little as Spy freed himself from their embrace. Soon enough they realized why. They glanced away when he admitted he knew. Briefly, they pressed their forehead to Spy's shoulder affectionately. They weren't sure what to say.

They pulled back far enough to sign,  **"I wish it hadn't happened. I didn't know it was like that. I don't know what I thought."** They breathed out a sigh inside their mask.

They felt childish for thinking that even Bea must have limits. They just saw Spy as so strong, so capable and clever, and knew he'd been hurt by Bea but made it out looking so unscathed... it was hard to imagine that it had hurt Spy so much inside.

They didn't want to think about what had happened to him, but they felt it wasn't fair to be able to ignore it. Spy had to face it, so they should too.

Spy nodded and assured them, "I know. It's okay. You weren't there, you had no hand in it. You didn't do this to me." His fingers brushed briefly over the brand on his neck. "I just need to know..." He was careful how to phrase it. If Pyro valued their relationship to the Classics too much to challenge them, Spy would truly feel alone here in bed with his team. "...If, through some terrible chance, I am captured by the Classic team again, I want to know I can depend on you."

Pyro resisted the urge to touch Spy's brand. They didn't know how he'd feel about it being touched. Instead they kept their hands free to sign.  **"I wouldn't let anyone hurt you."**

Pyro had grown up with the Classic team, but the relationships were complicated. They no longer felt like family as they had when Pyro had been young. Even the Conaghers — excluding Dell, of course — had grown distant. Especially after Dell’s accident.

Their relationship with Spy was far more straightforward. They cared for Spy, a great deal, and even if they had to fight Bea or Marcus for him, they would do it.

Spy cupped Pyro's face around the respirator and brought their faces closer. He kissed an open, flat surface where Pyro's lips might be. It wasn't as warm and soft as a true kiss, but the gentle affection was there.

Pyro couldn't feel the kiss, but their heart swelled at it anyway. They hadn't really thought anyone would bother trying to kiss them, even like this.

"If I may ask an incredible favour from you? When I forget that, please remind me. I cannot easily describe how much it means to me." Spy's voice was quiet, and even with three bodies on the bed, he was in a world where only he and Pyro existed.

They wrapped Spy back up in their arms, nodding. This was something they could do to take care of him, to make him feel safer. Of course they would do it.

At this moment they would fight the world for Spy.

 


	19. Incandescence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> something soft and gentle and definitely nsfw

Dell stirred late the next morning. He was surprised to find himself the first one awake, but after last night's many emotional revelations, perhaps it shouldn't have been surprising.  
  
Spy was wrapped up tightly in Pyro's arms, and the two of them looked peaceful like that. Dell reached out gently and brushed a lock of hair off Spy's forehead.  
  
It was nice to see the man's face now. It hadn't taken long to get used to the scars on Spy's thin cheeks. They didn't detract from his handsome appearance. Of course, Dell was rather more used to scars than the average person—not only Pyro's, but his own as well.  
  
Dell slid back up against Spy, stroking his hand over Spy's shoulder. He just wanted to touch the man, reassure himself that he was alright. Even though he knew what had happened yesterday hadn't been physical, touching seemed to help.  
  
The touch on his shoulder caused Spy to shiver, but he did not jump or recoil, even to wake up from the touch of someone behind him. Spy glanced over his shoulder at the Texan and murmured, "I want you." His voice was soft and calm but his eyes were alert and full of emotion. "Take me," he coaxed. One of his long legs stretched back to entwine with Engineer's.  
  
Dell brightened a little to see Spy wake so peacefully. He was surprised by the offer, however. “You’re sure? It won’t be pushing things?” He left it unspoken that they’d had a rough night.  
  
Pyro stifled a yawn, blinking themself awake. Spy was still wrapped tight in their arms and they relaxed their grip slightly. They could feel Spy’s cock, half hard, against their hip.  
  
Spy smiled at the display of concern, unaware of the dimples on his cheeks. "Make love to me, _mon grand_." Their sexual interactions were always vigorous at least. After the art of Pyro's synesthesia he could only assume the goal was to fuck him till he came screaming again. But he knew by the way Dell stroked hair away from his forehead, or the way Pyro could stare so adoringly into Spy's eyes, these two could be truly gentle if he asked for it.  
  
Dell kissed Spy's temple, putting his gunslinger over his hip and tugging him back just a little to lay flush against his body. His other hand wrapped around Spy's chest, stroking his bare skin. Before they got too entwined, he leaned away to grab the little bottle of lube on the bedside table.  
  
Dell was happy to touch Spy, to make him feel good. And one of his favourite parts of sex was the preparation, if he was being honest. He loved slowly opening someone up. He poured a little lube on his fingertips and began to work his fingers against Spy's entrance.  
  
Pyro gave Dell a bit more space, leaving their hands resting on Spy's chest as Dell began to prepare him. They loved being this close to Spy during sex.  
  
Spy moved with Dell's arms as they repositioned him. He easily relaxed into the new position, allowing his head to lay back over the shoulder below him, and let his legs fall open to welcome his partner's attention. Spy's hands held Pyro's arms. He pulled them with him as he moved, and even though he knew Pyro was sometimes more distant in these intimate moments, he wanted them near. He welcomed the semi-faceless person between his legs and let them lean forward with warm palms pressed on his chest.  
  
Spy often prepared himself before sexual encounters, but not because he really had the patience for it. He only liked to be well prepared for anything. But now he felt what it was to be opened up by someone slow and methodical and careful. He could feel Engineer appreciate the resistant tightness as much as he appreciated the relaxed opening.  
  
Spy usually did not have so much freedom of his hands, with these partners, due to Pyro holding him down. He didn't fully realize that his hands were wandering up Pyro's arms to their shoulders, squeezing firmly to feel their sturdy muscles as they moved.  
  
Dell hummed his appreciation as he felt how quickly Spy was relaxing around him. He worked in a second finger, and slowly pressed them in until Spy's body accepted them to the last knuckle. Spy was so much tighter than usual, and Dell was happy to take his time.  
  
While he worked with one hand, the other held Spy close and he kissed and bit gently at the other man's neck. Now that he had seen Spy without his cloak, his bites were no longer quite so hard as they had been. That, and the mood this morning was far different than most of their previous encounters. Spy had asked him to make love to him, not fuck him. There was quite a difference, in Engineer's mind.  
  
Pyro slid one of their muscular thighs between Spy's legs and let him rub up against them as he grew more excited. They didn't mind Spy's wandering hands, since they seemed content to stay on their arms and shoulders. Pyro's own hands were also happy to wander, over Spy's neck—carefully avoiding the brand—and up along his jawline, down his chest and sides. Spy's skin was hot from sleeping between the two of them. Pyro pressed their foreheads together, affectionately, enjoying Spy's hitching breaths as Engineer's fingers spread him wider. They didn't mind that he was quiet, as long as he looked so happy.  
  
Spy bowed his head forward and groaned as two thick fingers curled inside him. He groaned through the strain and then, as his body relaxed to accept and even welcome it, he pressed his forehead to Pyro's with affection. He felt the firm surface of a thigh pressed to his groin and Spy was glad for it and immediately rolled his hips into it. The warm surface did not give much friction but it thrilled Spy to have both his lovers so involved.  
  
The Frenchman praised the two of them for their attentions, and reached behind his head and in front of himself to cradle both of their heads in his palms and stroke his fingers over the soft, velvet, shaved hair.  
  
Though they were practically glowing with the attention, Pyro managed to tear themself away just long enough to grab the blindfold from its familiar place on Pyro's side of the bed. With a quick glance at Spy for confirmation, they wrapped it around his head and tied it off, careful to keep his hair free of the knot. Once Spy was blindfolded, Pyro squirmed away even farther and stripped, taking off everything except the respirator.  
  
Dell watched with a smile, breathing softly over a recent bite mark he'd left as he worked his fingers in and out slowly. He loved feeling Spy react, his body tightening around him, trying to draw him deeper, the soft sounds of pleasure he made. Dell brushed his hard cock up against the back of Spy's leg. He was tempted to rut against him, but for now he was patient, savouring even the wait.  
  
Pyro climbed back into bed and pressed their leg back into position against Spy's erection, though they still kept their own groin carefully away from Spy's body. Their hands traced his chest again, running thumbs over his nipples curiously.  
  
Spy let the blindfold cover his eyes without concern. It was a ritual of their intimate moments and something as natural as putting on a rubber, or spreading down a towel. Except that this 'protection' Pyro wanted was unique and different than any lover Spy had before. Nonetheless, he trusted Dell and Pyro completely and the blindfold did not challenge that trust. He closed his eyes beneath the cloth and let himself soak in every physical sensation.  
  
Spy's hips rolled down on Dell's fingers and his leg parted to encourage him. He loved the tender technique Dell used, but he was even more excited to feel the satisfying weight and length of his cock.  
  
The pressure of Pyro's body on his cock and the exploring touches on his body were a pleasant distraction. Spy rolled his hips against the thigh again. The naked skin was not more satisfying but now Spy knew they were fully naked. The excitement of knowing how close Pyro was made his cock throb. If Pyro slid down between Spy's legs, he would feel their body's response to these sexual moments. If Spy arched his back and raised his hips he could find that satisfying friction. But instead he murmured with a smile, "You tease.”

Pyro nuzzled the tip of their nose -where it was covered by the respirator- briefly against Spy’s neck.  
  
Satisfied that Spy was ready, Dell took the lube again, slicking his cock. Before he could put the bottle back, Pyro nabbed it from him.  
  
As Dell slowly fed his cock into Spy's body, Pyro put a few drops of lube on their palm. They didn't shift their thigh away, letting Spy keep that pressure, but they took his cock in their hand and gave him a few tentative strokes.  
  
Dell gave a low groan as he sheathed himself in Spy, no longer needing his hand to guide himself in. He moved slow, every thrust careful and tender, hips rolling up against Spy's ass. The tight, hot pleasure was a relief after taking his time preparing Spy. Dell was confused at first about what Pyro had wanted the lube for, but soon he could feel Spy reacting to their touch and he smiled. Hopefully this was more satisfying for them than just watching.  
  
Spy held his breath as the cock slid into his body. The breath immediately escaped in a sharp moan when a hand closed around his cock. Both Pyro and Engineer's hands were strong and hardened by labour, but they were different also. This new grip was careful and exploring, the hand smaller and more delicate than Dell’s.

The moment Spy realized it, he gasped, "Pyro!"  
  
The sensation of being filled and pumped at one time, handled intimately by both of his partners, was satisfying and erotic. But Spy was more satisfied by the gentle, loving nature of the moment.  
  
Unable to see them, Spy replayed the image in his mind of Pyro's round green eyes. He could almost feel those eyes on him, watching his reaction to this new experience.  
  
His hands reached up to them again and slid along their shoulders and neck to the back of their head. Spy wanted to kiss them, and when he felt the clasp of the respirator he knew he could unfasten it and bring them into a kiss, that he could feel scarred lips against his own.  
  
But he knew that part of Pyro's face was off limits to him. It was a mystery he didn't want to worry at in this moment. It was a mystery that was a part of his lover.

Spy did pull Pyro's face closer and satisfied himself with affectionate small kisses along the bridge of their nose and whatever wasn't covered by the mask. He made a short trail to the place between Pyro's eyebrows.

Dell kept every thrust careful, measured, his gunslinger holding Spy delicately by the hip. Spy's reaction to Pyro's hand was a good one—his inner muscles pulled at him, drawing him in eagerly. His own sounds of pleasure were quiet and heartfelt.

Pyro bent their neck a little to give Spy better access to their face, soaking up the attention like a sponge. Spy moaning their name briefly turned the world purple.  
  
Their grip soon found a rhythm to match Dell's, but they were still experimenting with pressure as they went. Pyro's own breaths seemed amplified by the respirator, coming quick and hard. They felt Spy's fingers on the clasp and almost pulled away, but Spy didn't undo it.

Pyro only wished they could see Spy's eyes.

As much as Spy enjoyed a proper fuck, he was a romantic at heart, and it was evident in the way he showered his partners with affection. One of Spy's hand stroked Engineer's thigh and gripped it tightly when the angle of his hip brought long and slow contact to Spy's prostate. His other hand dropped down to thread his fingers with the gunslinger holding his hip.

The kisses on Pyro's scarred flesh never stopped. After covering their nose and cheekbones, Spy pressed his lips to the jawline of the respirator. It was a part of Pyro's body as much as Dell's gunslinger was his right hand.

Engineer was careful as Spy twined his fingers in with the gunslinger's, not moving very much. With no visual to help, it was hard to feel exactly what Spy's fingers were doing, only that they were there. It would be all too easy to accidentally hurt him.

Dell paused a moment to enjoy the full tight heat of Spy around his cock, before his hips rolled again and Spy was groaning.

Spy was almost sure he knew the answer to the question nagging at him. And he worried that asking the question risked scaring Pyro away.

Engineer's steady pace made a total stop when he was completely sheathed and Spy nearly vibrated around him with excitement just to feel it resting so deep inside. Spy's lips broke free of Pyro's neck to gasp, but a second later Dell's hips were moving again and Spy moaned in response.

With his mouth free, the question came tumbling out into the small space between him and Pyro, "Will you let me make you cum?"

Pyro was making soft sounds of happiness as Spy kissed them, arching into the touches and affection gratefully. Spy's question was soft, but it stilled Pyro's hand for a moment.

Dell frowned, hoping that this wouldn't be a push too far for Pyro.

They made a negative sound, hoping that it was clear enough, before their hand began to stroke Spy again, still at a fairly slow pace, matching Dell's. They weren’t quite ready for that, and they were too close to Spy to get themself off without him figuring them out.  
  
Relief filled the Engineer and he pressed his lips to the back of Spy's neck, giving a low moan against his skin. His experience tended more towards the fucking end of things, rather than the more tender side of it—making love, as Spy had said—but Dell was beyond happy with how things were going. Everything was slow and gentle and sweet, and they were all swept up in the mood of it. Dell found affectionate words kept bubbling up, but he kept them down for now. He wanted to be sure Spy wouldn't mind hearing them, and not interrupt their morning with something that might be too much.  
  
Pyro did want more. They were more aroused than they could ever remember being, and they were so wonderfully close to Spy. But as much as they loved Spy, they still worried about rejection. Their free hand went to the side of Spy's face, tenderly. They couldn’t lose this.  
  
Spy nodded with no sign of resentment or pouting when Pyro declined. He knew it was unlikely, no matter what he hoped. Spy sighed happily when Pyro's palm touched his cheek, affirming that he didn't scare the masked partner away with his request. He turned his head to the palm and kissed it and murmured, " _Mes amours_ , I’m close."  
  
He couldn't remember the last time he had such a gentle affair between lovers, but it brought up such a satisfying pleasure in him. He rested on the edge of climax, every pump from Pyro's hand and every thrust from Dell's cock almost pushing him over the edge.  
  
The pleasure seemed to last forever, much to Spy's satisfaction.  
  
When it was finally enough to push him over the edge, his hands moved to grip his partners, squeezing Dell's thigh and Pyro's shoulder. Spy arched his back to drive his hips down onto Dell's cock and have him as deep as possible. His body squeezed at him in rhythmic pulses. His lean body arched until only his ass and the back of his head rested on Dell, his groin pressed to Pyro's thigh and palm. His chest arched so high that, if Pyro was not cautiously keeping the distance, their chests would brush together.  
  
That idea, and the image of these three bodies tangled together, pushed Spy over the edge and he released his seed into Pyro's palm and over their thigh. The stretched position let the moans of pleasure come from his mouth without anything to hold it back. On the end of the moan, affectionate words spilled out also, " _Je vous aime_."  
  
Pyro was relieved that Spy didn't seem upset that they wouldn't let him please them. He kissed their hand and they made a soft sound of happiness. The peacock-bright colours burst out with Spy’s cries and Pyro gave a delighted sigh.  
  
Dell was getting close himself, Spy's hand tight on his thigh, his inner muscles squeezing around his cock. Spy arched up and Dell stroked his gunslinger gently up over his chest. Spy's body tensed and Dell came in him, fully sheathed in the other man. He let out a low groan, sated.  
  
Spy's words sent a pleasant glow through Dell. Though he didn't speak much French, he knew that much, at least, and he was happy to return the sentiment, pressing his face into the back of Spy's neck. "Love you too." His voice was still breathless.  
  
Pyro made an affirmative sound, unable to really communicate with Spy with the blindfold on.  
  
Spy melted down onto Dell's chest and turned his head away to hide the smile on his lips.  
  
It was clear in their actions that they were all falling in love. But Spy expected a much longer time waiting before Dell could state those feelings out loud. And yet, the Texan answered his soft French words with his hard American accent so easily and without hesitation.

Pyro sat up to grab a tissue to wipe both themself and Spy. With a bit of reluctance, they dressed themself again before sliding back into bed next to Spy. They untied the blindfold, delicately, stroking Spy's hair as they pulled it off.  
  
Once he was without the blindfold, Spy carefully removed himself from the softened cock inside him with a groan. Spy leaned into Pyro's hand brushing through his hair to take a cigarette from the nightstand. He put it in his lips and let Pyro light it, their unspoken agreement.  
  
"I forgot how nice it is to do that." Sexual congress that is so gentle and sweet. "I feel better, thank you," he said around the cigarette.  
  
It was the combined effort of Pyro and Engineer and their constant attention to comforting him and holding him and gently kissing his almost naked skin. It was a strange sensation that he didn't think was possible—that yesterday he descended into one of his worst flashbacks since his encounter with the Classic team, and today it was the furthest thing from his mind.


	20. Flicker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spy regrets being nosy

Spy thought he would satisfy himself by being nosy. He was a curious man by nature and liked to investigate _something,_ even when there was no mystery.   
  
An opportunity to open a sealed envelope with Engineer’s salary inside was too tempting and Spy took much pleasure in soaking the glue, opening the envelope, and removing the check.   
  
He perused every line, and every detail. Engineer made more money than Scout, Sniper. A little bit more than himself! But he was not quite so well paid as Demoman.   
  
Spy didn't have many checks yet, to compare salary, but it made sense. A portion of their pay was possibly calculated by some things like the number of points captured.   
  
He read each line and saw the holidays he earned, the sick days he earned, the pension he earned. And then Spy caught on something strange.   
  
An additional line that he didn't see on any check so far. A term that referred to a spouse, and then an impressive sum of money beside that.   
  
Spy frowned. Investigating something that didn't need to be investigated often came with learning a secret he didn't like.

To be thorough, Spy called Miss Pauling and questioned her about a mistake regarding his check.  
  
"This line, it was never here before, I certainly appreciate the bonus, but what is the purpose of it?" Spy asked.   
  
The purple-clad woman grunted, and muttered for Spy to wait. Something heavy thudded, a body dropped into a hole. And then Pauling gave him her attention. "Did you get married?"   
  
Spy frowned. "If I did?"   
  
Pauling explained. "Your employer provides a sum of money to support your wife. You aren't around to help her, so money is provided to aid her needs. To hire a male escort or something."   
  
"Excuse me?!" Spy answered. Engineer's extra sum of money was to care for a wife while he was away in the Gravel War, and his chest sank at the thought.   
  
"Kidding!" Miss Pauling assured him. "It's, you know, to pay a handyman, or a plumber. Or pay for a chauffeur if she needs a man to drive her. Whatever things housewives want their husbands to do. Congratulations, anyway."   
  
Spy replied bitterly, "Keep your congratulations, _merci_." And he hung up to frown at the check in silence.

 

***

 

Spy watched Engineer when he came to the shared dinner with the team, but he never let himself be caught staring. Even when he couldn't resist letting his eyes linger.

Engineer was serving himself the simple food provided in large trays to feed a small army of ravenous men. But he was talking about the food he missed from his home. “We oughtta have a grill. Some real nice Texas steaks, somethin’ real savoury and spicy. Nothin’ beats the flavour of the dusty Mexican borderlands.”

He should expect Engineer was married. Even if he preferred men, he was handsome and smart and a proper American gentleman. Spy couldn't be jealous upon discovering someone else was endeared by all of the same traits. And yet he _was_ jealous. Wondering who she was and if she knew about him and his activities with Engineer and his companion.

Would his secret wife ever know?

 

***

 

Spy came by again that night, and though Engineer was distracted with a blueprint and some kink he had to work out of his teleporter, Pyro and Spy kept each other busy.

With some relief, Spy noted that the fucking machine was gone, disassembled into parts.

Spy seemed a little distracted tonight, and he looked at Dell a lot, in an unhappy sort of way. Pyro wasn't sure if they were imagining it or not, and they didn't want to bring it up at first. But after a while, they put a bare hand on Spy's arm to get his attention before signing, **"Is something wrong?"**

Spy glanced again at Engineer to be sure he was too distracted to watch his partners sign. Then he signed in return, **"Maybe. I'm bothered."** He reassured Pyro with a soothing motion, before they could make a commotion, and he asked, with his hands, **"Does Engineer have a wife?"**

Though their expression was unreadable with their full mask still on, their hesitation was quite obvious. Their hands stilled and it seemed as though they were stunned. Pyro took a long moment of silence before answering. **"Yes."** After a second, they held up a hand to continue. **"It's so no one would suspect Dell likes men."**

They wondered how Spy had found out, but really the answer was right there in his class name. There was no point in asking. They hadn't thought about the marriage in a long time. It was strange to explain it to Spy—it seemed like a distant memory by now.

Spy was relieved that Pyro knew something, enough to explain a little. He pushed for more. **"Does she know?"**

 **"Know what?"** Pyro asked. **"That it isn't a real marriage? Yes** **—** **they planned it together,"** Pyro assured Spy.

Spy wanted to keep asking as long as he could ask questions and Pyro had answers. **"Does she love him**?" A part of him wanted to swear off being involved in something too complicated. He didn't want to bother with a married man caring for a wife who accepts his homosexual tendencies but is convinced she can change him. But he never stayed away from something complicated.

That was a more difficult question to answer. Engineer's wife did love him, very much. But Pyro wasn't sure that was what Spy would want to hear. They didn't want to lie about it, though. But it wasn't that kind of relationship, either, and surely Spy would want to know exactly what he was getting into?

 **"They love each other like friends** **—** **that's all,"** they assured Spy. **"You don't have to worry about it."**

It seemed that Pyro was trying to dismiss any following questions. Maybe it was becoming too personal for Pyro to continue to answer. So he made one final question. **"Will she know about me?"**

Pyro looked at Spy for a moment before nodding. **"Is that okay?"** Spy didn't like to be known about, Pyro thought, but they weren't about to lie now.

Spy nodded. Despite his secretive life, he didn't want to be Engineer's dirty little secret. He let Pyro be, signalling that he was finished with the questions as he signed, " **Thank you."**

 **"You've seen her,"** Pyro said, as they realized it themself. **"That photo you saw."**

Spy's chest sank. He remembered that photo very clearly. The beautiful red-haired woman with an infectious smile and kind green eyes. He also very easily recalled how warm and happy Engineer's smile was in that photo. How comfortable he was with his old 'sweetheart.' Engineer didn't correct Spy when he guessed at the significance of the relationship. Engineer didn't want Spy to know—it was the only thing Spy could assume.

He nodded and answered in sign, **"The beauty with red hair."**

Pyro nodded. It didn’t seem like that knowledge made Spy happy either. They dropped it, letting Spy think on it quietly.

 

 

***

 

Spy was rather sure that he was always the last to fall asleep. Engineer became very heavy beside him in bed, and then Pyro's raspy breathing became slow, and last, Spy was safe enough between his partners to sleep. But tonight, Pyro went to sleep and Engineer remained rigid and uncomfortable by his side. Spy didn't want to bother him, but eventually wondered if Engineer knew about the unwanted thoughts nagging his partner's mind. He turned to him and whispered, "You're as restless as I am, no?"

Engineer rolled onto his side just enough to really look at Spy, nodding. He knew Pyro was a light sleeper, and whispered softly. "Just hurting a bit, is all. You alright?" He didn't often suffer from phantom pain, but tonight was one of those nights. He'd taken off the gunslinger already in an attempt to make it easier on himself, but it only lessened some of the tight, crushing feeling.

Spy found Engineer's stump in the dark and pressed his thumbs along the man's muscles. He was giving a genuine massage to a phantom pain. " _Oui._ Simply... _Engaged_ in my own thoughts," Spy answered. "It's lucky that you aren't missing your left hand also, no? Some might consider that to be the more important hand," Spy said casually, and still very quietly.

Engineer gave a sigh of relief at the feeling. It didn't entirely alleviate the pain, but it was soft and gentle and Spy's touch was soothing. Spy's comment was curious, and Engineer shook his head. "I'd rather have lost that one, honestly. I am right handed, after all. It would have been an easier adjustment, I think. Easier to build another one too." He kept his voice very soft.

Spy frowned. It was a perfectly reasonable answer to give. But he was giving Engineer the perfect opening to mention that he was married! The rogue could not imagine asking the man frankly about it. It would be too vulnerable to let him know how much he didn't know. And how much he apparently cared.

He prodded again. "It is how it is. But at least, you know 'your better half,' now."

Again, Spy's comment was slightly puzzling. What did he mean by his ‘better half’? His right arm? It was an odd way to put it.

"Yeah, I guess," he murmured, leaning into Spy's shoulder and pressing a kiss there.

Spy sighed, nearly admitting defeat as Engineer dodged the bait. How obvious could he possibly be without simply being as honest and open with communicating as the Engineer could be? It simply wasn't an option. Spy massaged the man's arm in silence until he fell asleep.


	21. Charred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An accident helps Pyro reveal themself

One of the few places Pyro didn't wear their respirator was in the shower. They always showered alone, and though the shower door didn't lock, they'd found that blocking the narrow doorway with a flamethrower kept everyone out. For some reason, they intimidated most of their teammates.

Pyro had just finished their shower and they'd wrapped themself up in one of the thin Mann Co. supplied towels. They missed having more privacy.

The first sign their private shower was interrupted was the echoing noise of the flame thrower falling on the ground and a body tripping over it. The second sound was a Boston accent exclaiming, "Oh! My God! I cannot BELIEVE this!"

Scout scrambled to his feet gracelessly. A forgotten magazine was in his hand, where it had distracted him from looking in front of his feet on his way to the shower. "You mean you really are human under all that?" Scout could only see their back, but he knew the team well enough to know who this must be.

Pyro made a wordless sound of anger and surprise, not daring to turn around and let Scout see their face or more of them than he had already seen. They couldn't even properly yell at him to get out, so they settled for grabbing the next towel over and flinging it onto Scout, effectively blinding the boy, before grabbing him by the neck and forcing him out of the shower room.

Scout scrambled a little more fearfully when the towel landed over his head and footsteps approached in the water. "Hey hey hey! What are you doing?" Scout fought the towel rather than the hand gripping him, and a moment later he tumbled to his ass in the hallway. Scout didn't turn back to bother Pyro, he had to tell the team what he’d seen!

Scout’s magazine was left on the wet floor and Pyro purposefully kicked it over the shower drain to soak it. _Stupid Scout._ They barely dried off entirely before they dressed and were out, collecting their flamethrower and arguing with themself over whether or not to use it on Scout.

Pyro made a beeline for the garage, but they could hear Scout's shouting through the halls, bragging that he'd seen them naked. At least he hadn't seen anything important, they hoped.

Scout ran into Spy first, and couldn't help but throw out a brag to him. "Hey Spy, guess who's a better spy than you?" Before Spy could even finish turning around to face Scout, he answered himself. "That's right, this guy! I just saw the Pyro naked in the shower, no one else has seen that guy before me! They shoulda made me a spy insteada you."

"You saw Pyro indisposed?" He lifted his head and looked down his nose at the Scout. He was suspicious, but never knew this vain creature to brag about an accomplishment he didn't achieve. "How?" A flare of possessiveness swelled inside him, though he tried to suppress it. If it was Pyro's choice to expose themself to Scout, there was nothing he could say. But if Scout embarrassed Pyro by finding them without their suit or snooping on them... Spy found his butterfly knife itching to be held as he thought of it.

"I just walked in on him in the shower, it was easy!" Scout laughed. "He’s just like... a normal guy under there. I kinda thought maybe he was a robot that Engie built." He sounded a little disappointed to learn the truth.

Spy frowned to hear how Scout found them. Even though he never used the showers, he knew when Pyro claimed them for themself. The flamethrower leaning in the doorway always looked like a string, stick, and box trap to Spy, and he was never brave enough to sneak past it.

"I see." Spy cleared his throat. "Well, now that you know there is nothing extraordinary under the suit, you have no reason to bother Pyro again or speak about this to anyone, _non_?"

"Pf, yeah right! I gotta tell everyone!" Scout grinned. "I mean, I'm not sure I wanna see him again, he almost freakin' murdered me!" The footsteps approaching while he had a towel over his head had been more frightening than Scout wanted to admit—not that he'd admit he'd gotten tossed out so easily and taken out by a towel. Pyro was shorter than him, even! But the firestarter was intimidating and Scout was afraid of them. But he had no qualms talking about his teammate; he was pretty sure Pyro didn't speak English anyway.

Spy frowned harder and although he wanted to tell Scout to just be quiet, he tried to find a better response. He opened his mouth to speak, but before his words came, a much louder voice interrupted.

"Privates! Are you two going to stand there with your mouths open, hoping that it starts raining dicks, or are you going to fight!?" Soldier shouted as he approached them.

Spy whipped his head around to watch the shorter but much denser and more muscular man approach.

"Solly, you're never gonna guess what I just saw!" Scout completely ignored Soldier's yelling, he was far too used to the sounds of seven older brothers in a small house to be perturbed by Soldier's volume. And he didn't take much the man said seriously.

Scout laid out the scene properly this time, instead of bragging that he could have been a Spy. "So there I was, right, readin' a magazine, going to have a shower, and then all of a sudden WHAM, I trip over a flamethrower and I'm on the floor of the bathroom. And there's Pyro. Naked! And he's all like—! ... Actually, I don't know what he said, but he sounded pissed. But he's actually a human under all that. He's all pale and freckly." Scout didn't bother to mention his envy of Pyro's muscular arms.

Spy's fingers twitched and he looked to Scout. The annoying persistent voice broke him out of his frozen state, if only to grate at his nerves as he heard the story unfold.

"Naked! You're lucky you escaped with your life, private. If it were me, I would—"

Spy found his voice this time and interrupted the Soldier. "Shut up!" he demanded. "Shut up, both of you." He looked at Scout first with a challenging look and then turned his attention to Soldier to see he was looking down at Spy's gloved hands.

He was signing without realizing it. He wondered how often he was doing this, amidst all of his practice and all of his conversations with Pyro. But even more, he wondered why Soldier was staring so closely.

Soldier's hands moved and he signed, " **Too loud?"** A moment of still silence passed between them, and Soldier added, " **Sorry."**

Realization started to wash over Spy.

Yes, the Soldier was rude and vulgar. All of the English speakers were (except Engineer and Pyro). But the volume? This was a man yelling over the constant sound of tinnitus drowning out the sounds of the world around him. Suddenly Spy was embarrassed he didn't consider this sooner, for a man who carried a rocket launcher on his shoulder.

" **Do you understand**?" Soldier asked. His hands moved to repeat himself and he took a deep breath to announce it as well.

Spy interrupted him first. " **Yes! Yes, I understand**."

Scout looked down at both their hands with confusion. "What is going on?" he asked, practically tilting his head. The two of them were making all kinds of hand gestures back and forth and they both seemed to understand each other.

Spy glanced at Scout but ignored him at first only to focus on Soldier.

" **Are you still sick?"**

" **No**."

" **Good. You were in no shape to fight**." Soldier's motions were tight and crisp, no large exaggerations to silently express his characteristic loudness.

" **I'm well now, and ready to fight** ," Spy answered. Finally he looked to Scout and answered him aloud. "It appears our loud friend here just struggles to hear us. It's still a mystery why _you_ are so loud, however."

“I’m not—!” Scout lowered his volume and started again. “I’m not that loud.”

Spy made a sharp and judgmental laugh. "Oh please!" He leaned closer to Scout. "If you want to convince me, maybe let an entire day pass without anyone else hearing about Pyro's shower."

Scout frowned. “I can’t just tell people quietly?” He hated when Spy laughed like that. And he really wanted to brag about his discovery.

Spy withdrew a cigarette and looked over Soldier. "You can try," Spy said as he signed to Soldier, " **Scout needs your help to rally the team."**

Soldier grinned with patriotic satisfaction and gripped Scout's shoulder. "Screaming Eagles, we have work to do, boy!"

Spy watched Soldier hurry Scout off, satisfied with his doubt Scout could ever talk over Soldier quietly. With luck, he would be distracted and pick a fight with Soldier and then forget about Pyro.

As for Pyro... Spy knew he owed them something to express his gratitude. He would never discover that Soldier responded to ASL if he didn't use it with Pyro. Soldier would be a nightmare on this team forever, for Spy, if not for them. With an unlit cigarette on his lips, Spy went in search of Pyro.

Pyro was moping in the garage. They hadn't said anything to Engineer yet - their friend was busily scribbling away on a blueprint when Pyro came in and they hated to interrupt something important. They knew it was easy for Engineer to get too distracted to work if someone was talking. Instead they went to their desk and laid their head down.

Spy knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. When Pyro answered he assumed this was because Engineer was hard at work on a machine. But it worked perfectly for his plans. "Pyro, I have a surprise for you. Can you come with me?"

Pyro tilted their head a little, but followed Spy out, carefully locking the door behind them. They followed him back to his smoking room. They could no longer hear Scout bragging, but they could hear Soldier yelling at the end of the hall. They hoped it was far enough away to not bother Spy.

Spy chewed lightly at the unlit cigarette between his lips, somewhat forgetting he was waiting for Pyro to light it.

"I spoke with Soldier earlier," he mentioned as he shut the door behind him. "I didn't think civil discourse was possible. And yet, he was civil... more or less." Spy crossed the room to a wall. Upon closer inspection, it was a hidden door. A thin cut in the wallpaper marked a tall rectangle. "He uses American Sign Language, like you. I would never guess it, I stumbled onto it by accident." He slid his gloved hand along the crease on the wall. "But I could never stumble onto that if I wasn't signing with you." Spy opened the door and let light come from the open room. "I must thank you. And this is all I could imagine to show how grateful I am."

The room was Spy's private bathroom. It was once equipped with multiple stalls, urinals, and sinks, but now it held only one large claw-foot bathtub, a vanity, a single toilet, and a bidet of course.

Pyro watched Spy peel open a secret door from the wall with fascination. Upon the reveal of the secret bathroom, Pyro was speechless for a long moment. They had a lot of questions all at once, but forced themselves to ask them slowly, so Spy would pick up on all of them.

 **"Soldier knows A-S-L?"** That made sense, the man was probably partially deaf. Rocket launchers were loud! When did he learn? When did he start losing his hearing?

 **"I can use this?"** And then, **"Why do you have a private bathroom?"**

They knew Spy had taken over a public room to make his smoking room. He must have sealed up a bathroom just as he’d sealed up the little side room he used as a bedroom. It made sense, really. Spy wouldn't want to shower without some privacy, with the scars on his face. And now he was sharing his private bathroom with Pyro.

He must have heard from Scout about the incident in the bathroom.

Spy suggested, " **You should speak to Soldier. He's a different man when he is signing and not screaming."**

He stepped to the side and welcomed Pyro in to see. There was plenty of room for two people, almost too much room for only one. "Please, be my guest." Although he was welcoming Pyro in, he was nervous still to let another person in. "I prefer privacy. Even if I'm willing to be naked, I'm not always willing to be exposed... You understand." Pyro must understand. If they only undressed for sex if Spy was blindfolded, they couldn't be too hurt to learn Spy undressed but never let his partners truly see him. "People like us have a lot to hide, _non_?"

Spy removed his watch and set it on the vanity carefully. Then he removed his gloves. The back of one hand had a tattoo of two knives crossing each other. A tattoo that Pyro had definitely never seen before, no matter how often they held down Spy's hands in bed.

Pyro caught sight of the new tattoo and held out their hand to catch Spy’s. It didn’t look like a new tattoo; it was slightly faded. But how had they never seen it before? They took their hands back to sign, **“You hid this?”** They reached out and tapped the tattoo. **“Why?”**

Spy smiled. He didn't expect Pyro to be so naïve, but the firestarter was genuinely surprised by the tattoo. It didn't appear to even enter Pyro's mind that it was only the first of many hidden scars. "I thought a small-town man like Engineer would be disinterested if he saw all of my battle wounds and tattoos." He let Pyro hold his hand and could feel the tattoo on his wrist peeking out from beneath the sleeve of his shirt as he was moved and inspected.

Spy knew he was covered in marks from his profession. It was impossible to truly look at one thing without seeing it bleed into another thing. The disguise he wore to show only the most handsome tattoos and scars was too complicated to even let it show the damage he suffered each day.

Pyro saw the other tattoo mostly hidden by Spy’s sleeve and began to understand. Spy was hiding a lot. He’d taken off his watch, the same watch that he used in battle to disguise himself. He’d been disguised all along. Hiding himself in much the same way Pyro did. Pyro assured him, **“Dell likes you** **—** **he would want to see.”**

They were curious to see more, but didn’t want to push it if Spy wasn’t ready.

Spy hesitated and wondered how hurt Pyro might be to learn Dell already knew. He avoided the suggestion with a question. "Are you sure? Or are you speaking for him because you want to see what else my disguise was covering?"

Pyro wished their mood could be seen more clearly through their mask. Hand gestures could only convey so much. With a quick gesture for Spy to wait, Pyro went to the side table in Spy's bedroom, where, next to the blindfold, they had taken to keeping a spare respirator to sleep in. They removed their mask and replaced it with the half mask.

Spy let Pyro leave, certain they weren't going far. When he heard the bookcase for his bedroom open, he knew the firestarter would return soon. He started unbuttoning his vest, then his shirt. When Pyro returned, he was carefully folding the clothing of his top half and placing it on the vanity.

They came back to the little bathroom, leaving their full mask on the vanity next to Spy's watch. Even if they couldn't exactly smile or frown, their eyes could convey a lot more than black lenses. They continued to sign. **"You can keep hiding if you need to** **—** **I understand. Dell will understand too."**

They were sure Dell wouldn't be too upset about it. Pyro was still hiding. Why shouldn't Spy, if he needed to?

**"Nothing will change."**

Upon signing and speaking the words, Pyro felt them sink in. Nothing would change. If Spy felt the same, if Spy loved them the same way they loved Spy, then there was really no point in hiding anymore. Even if things didn't end up being quite what Pyro wanted, Spy would still care about them, and hopefully want them involved with him and Dell. That would be enough.

Either way. There was no reason to hide.

Spy’s torso was fully exposed now and yet he looked less naked than usual. His skin tone was greatly blocked out by tattoos, scars, and bruises from battle. "We had a surprising amount of things in common, with our masks and suits, Pyro. Are you also hiding under that suit because you think things will change if I see you?" He raised a curious brow.

Pyro's eyes flickered over all the new marks on Spy's skin. Some scars they recognized immediately as bullet wounds or burns, others they couldn't guess at. They stripped off their own gloves and tossed them down next to their mask, at first just because of their desire to touch Spy, but then Spy was asking them a question and they needed to sign again. They were tempted just to nod. That was what they were afraid of. But it didn't seem as important anymore.

 **"I think** **—** **"** They hesitated, trying to put it into words properly. **"I think I don't have to worry anymore."**


	22. Pyre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another reveal
> 
> ***
> 
> sorry about the lack of chapter art lately. maybe one day I'll catch up

Pyro kicked off their boots and nudged them aside, then took off the belts and pouches from their suit. Finally, they undid the back of their suit and let it fall, stepping out of it.

Spy watched but said nothing. He was sure the wrong word would discourage Pyro and cause them to put back on their suit.

Their stomach seemed to fall with the suit, but they tried not to let it show in their eyes. They stripped off their undershirt and boxers too, leaving them on the floor with their suit. Normally they'd fuss more over leaving the suit on the floor, but at this moment it didn't seem so important.

Scout’s description of their teammate was right, Spy thought. Pyro was pale white and freckled. The most striking surprise was how hairless they were. Their chest was entirely naked.

Spy's eyes widened with surprise as he realized what he was looking at then. Despite their strong muscular arms, their hips were wide and round, and between their legs was a patch of trimmed red hair and nothing else. Their pectorals were small, modest breasts hanging lightly. Spy looked at their face again and stared more closely as the last piece fell into place.

"You're—you..." He couldn't find the words and then simply laughed at the thought of the red-headed beauty in the photo with Dell. "I saw you in that old photograph and— _mon dieu_ , I didn't think for a moment it was you! That was you, _non_?" He could remember the image so clearly and it seemed obvious now. Pyro's bright, joyful green eyes were unchanged.

Pyro nodded, glad Spy had figured it out so quickly.

Spy had removed the photo from his cigarette case after he learned of Engineer's wife. But now, the truth was not upsetting. Spy confirmed. "You married Dell."

Pyro nodded again, relieved that Spy would no longer worry about that. It had been awkward to try to be honest without giving themself away at the same time. They had gotten married mostly to keep anyone from suspecting that Dell was queer, but it was also to keep nosy neighbours from gossiping about Dell and them. They were very close, and it was expected that if they were that close, then they must be dating. Dell had made excuses for some time that they were engaged, until it became clear that wasn't enough to satisfy everyone. Cohabitation across genders just wasn't proper at that time, though by now of course it had changed. So they had gotten married, and it kept people from questioning them on several levels, and meant they were free to share a house, and a bed, without being disreputable.

They felt awkward, stuck in place. They wanted to touch Spy and be wrapped up in his arms, but they didn't dare move closer to him yet. Instead they rubbed a hand up one of their arms. Spy was smiling, but was this really alright? Would everything still be the same?

 **"I’ve changed a lot since then."** They met his eyes shyly. Even overlooking their accident, they'd gained a lot of muscle from their work, and shaved off all their hair.

Spy was held back by the same concern that he wasn't permitted to touch. Pyro was surprisingly clear with the rules of their intimacy, even with no ability to speak. But Spy was bolder. Nudity never made him withdraw or become shy. He opened his hands to Pyro and asked, "If there is nothing else to hide, may I touch you now?"

Happily, Pyro stepped into Spy's arms, resting their forehead against his shoulder and winding their arms around his waist. Now they could touch him, feel the scars on his back that they hadn't yet seen. Their hands wandered, but slowly, gently. Their nervousness slowly turned to calm.

Spy was still here, still wanting to touch them. They relaxed into his arms.

Spy's back would be difficult to look at. An area of his skin was rippled after healing from a burn, and little raised areas marked tattoos and bullet wounds and knife scars. But all of these were nothing compared to patches of tender, silky scarred skin where he endured being flayed.

He shivered as their fingers explored him.

Fingertips careful, Pyro explored Spy's scars. They could easily recognize the feel of the large burn, nothing else scarred quite like it, but they weren't sure they recognized the rest of them. Spy trembled slightly under their touch and they lifted their hands away, not wanting to spark any unhappy memories.

Spy focused his thoughts on Pyro's body. "What am I to call you now? Beautiful? Handsome?"

The old photo of Pyro showed when they were beautiful. Truly beautiful by every arbitrary standard society had: round cheeks, charming smile, big eyes, long bright hair... but Spy always liked his lovers to be mysterious and dangerous. Pyro's strong body, shaved head, and scarred face beneath the respirator made them much more thrilling to Spy.

Pyro laughed softly. They liked both words well enough, though they didn't really think of themself that way anymore.

They found themself wishing that Spy could understand their voice alone, but they knew it was difficult. It had taken Dell a long time to get used to it. They pulled away just far enough to sign, though they spoke at the same time, as always. **"Either."** Then their hands were back on Spy. They admired his tattoos openly, stroking them.

Spy let his hands move along Pyro's sides, from their shoulders down to their waist, glad to touch the body he was often so close to but never able to feel. He was surprised by how gentle Pyro's hands were. He knew they could be rough, and he knew they were strong, but it was the first time he felt them brushing and almost tickling over his skin, to appreciate the details that covered him.

"You already showered today _, non_? Then a bath now is not necessary, and we can go somewhere more comfortable to explore each other."

Spy's hands felt good against their skin, and Pyro leaned into them. His touch felt so nice. Pyro wasn't used to this, being touched this way. Dell and them held each other, yes, but it was a different kind of touch. Spy's hands moved with far more intent.

They nodded. They would be happy to go to bed with Spy now, like this. They hesitated just a moment to look at their suit on the floor before deciding they would deal with it later. For now, they headed to Spy's little bedroom.

Spy followed after them, never breaking contact, keeping his fingers gently tangled with Pyro's. He shut the door behind them to give them privacy in his room. There was an excitement in seeing Pyro naked, as if they were going to bed together for the first time.

Although Pyro always seemed to know their role and what they wanted in bed, this was new territory. This was their first time without Engineer, another first for them. Spy stopped at the edge of the bed and sat down to sprawl back into the pillows, "Do you know what you like? Or may I guide you?" One hand stretched out to stroke down their thigh, that Spy rutted against and orgasmed onto so recently.

Pyro was excited, there were butterflies in their stomach, and they could already feel themself getting slick. They signed, **“Guide,”** as they slid closer to Spy. He was still half dressed and they tugged at his belt, looking up at him inquiringly. Though they knew what they liked alone, and they knew what they had enjoyed with Spy before, this was almost entirely new.

This time they were looking forward to watching Spy’s eyes as he came.

Spy nodded at the gesture and unfastened his belt. He removed the remainder of his clothing, and his shoes, and even the socks with garters. He matched Pyro in total nudity when he relaxed on the bed and beckoned. "Come here, _s'il te plaît_."

There were even more tattoos and scars to explore now that Spy was completely naked, but there were more pressing things to take care of and Pyro was happy to wait.

Spy brought the Pyro into his arms, then rolled them onto their back. He bowed his head to kiss down their chest and stop at one of the burn blisters. He brushed his lips over it tenderly as he murmured, "This is what you do with your matches? Just enough to let you feel the encounter for a few days, _non?"_

Pyro let Spy roll them over, arching up into his kiss. They nodded. Most of their burns were superficial. They'd heal in a week, or three at most, and then the scars would fade to almost nothing after a year or so. They had plenty of scars in varying stages of healing, from the new blisters to the red scars and finally the pale white ones, barely visible against their white skin.

Their hands stroked the back of Spy's neck up into his hair, tugging very gently. Their eyes had an amused look to them. One of their legs slid up Spy's, pressing against his skin. They always liked skin on skin contact with Spy, but especially now that they were really naked together.

"It doesn't look too painful," Spy admitted. "I don't think this would frighten me." He had no experience with fire in a romantic setting, but it was different than he expected.

Spy's lips traveled to another burn mark and kissed it sweetly, as if trying to take away the pain, while his hand stroked Pyro's thigh and squeezed it to hold it close to his body.

That little admission sparked excitement in them. Spy might let them burn him, someday!

Pyro let one of their hands trail down Spy's chest, scratching delicately at scars and rubbing their fingers across tattoos as though they could feel them on his skin. They worked their way down Spy's lean, scarred body, finally brushing the side of their hand up the underside of Spy's cock, watching his face intently.

Spy stopped his movement down their body and appreciated the hand on his cock. His sharp blue eyes unfocused for only a moment before he regained his composure. He tilted his hips to meet it and moved closer.

The hand on Pyro's thigh brought their leg up and encouraged it to wrap around his hips. Spy rolled his hips into the hand but pressed down to the body beneath him. “Let me be inside you," he purred.

Pyro loved seeing Spy coming undone, and it was all the better for being able to see his expression. They let Spy guide their leg, drawing him down closer once they'd properly gotten it around his hips. They nodded, and adjusted their hand, guiding the tip of Spy's cock to their slick opening.

They kept their eyes locked on Spy's, their body pressed up against him as close as they could be. With their other arm they braced against the bed, keeping them up on an elbow, instead of flat on their back.

Spy's fingertips on Pyro's body flexed and squeezed from excitement and then relaxed to stroke their skin. Pyro's skin was always hot; they seemed to create heat like a fire burned inside them. Their slick entrance welcomed Spy's cock with incredible heat before he even pushed in.

He let his eyes shut and his brows came together with concentration as he pushed inside and let the welcoming body wrap around him. When he was fully sheathed, a small and satisfied grin pulled at his lips. Pyro was tight, like a person with years between their previous experience with a lover.

The muscles of his eyelids moved in little twitches while he resisted the urge to simply lose himself and rut into Pyro. He was a better lover than that, and he could focus on their pleasure even with the mind-numbingly incredible sensation around his cock.

Spy's hand crawled across the bed to hold Pyro's hand in the sheets and read the squeezing and relaxing like a guide when he moved. He rolled his hips into Pyro's body and rocked them gently, massaging the passage around him with his cock and letting it adjust to the penetration.

For all that Pyro was tight, they were ready. Their excitement gave a certain ease to Spy's first thrusts, though they could feel him working them open.

Pyro's head tipped back against the pillows and their breaths were coming short and fast, muffled through the respirator. Their inner muscles seemed to pull at Spy, to draw him in. With one hand under Spy's, they laced their fingers together. With their other hand, they dug their short fingernails into his back as though in an effort to hold on to something solid.

The first few rolls of his hips were slow and they were glad for it. Spy eased them together. Every thrust in made Pyro tighten with arousal, every slow draw out made them shudder, soft noises being pulled out of them. This was far better than their first time. Spy could really touch them now and there was nothing hidden between the two of them. They had as much of them pressed to Spy as they could manage.

Spy nearly purred when the short nails dug deeply into his back. The gesture encouraged him. Pyro was responding to the gentle pumping of Spy's hips, but he knew the sounds they made for pleasure. He listened to Pyro bring themselves near to climax enough to know this gentle rocking wasn't enough for them.

He drew his hips back as much as the leg around them allowed, and he pushed back in faster. With long strokes he built friction between their bodies and the heat that surrounded him seemed to spread through his body.

Spy was always an attentive and aware lover. He tended to his partners without words and moved effortlessly with their bodies. He was glad for this skill, now. Pyro couldn't speak easily, they couldn't tell him to move harder or faster or gentler in the way most lovers gasped the words with eyes shut. But Spy wouldn't force Pyro to use their hands; he was determined to give them anything they might ask for before their fingers ever twitched to sign.

Pyro’s head fell back as Spy began to thrust faster and harder, exposing their long pale neck and the scars that snaked down from beneath the respirator. Their eyes closed tight and their nails dragged up Spy's back to grab his shoulder, For just a second their pinned hand fought against the weight of Spy's, but then it sank back down into the bed as they gave a gasp of pleasure.

As Spy's cock pressed in, it slid against their clit and their legs trembled around Spy each time he repeated the motion. They made a soft whine behind the respirator. They were getting close.

Spy drank in every detail of Pyro's expressive eyes and trembling body. Years of over-animating every expression to compensate for a lack of speech made them beautiful to watch in this moment of pleasure.

His cock was pulsating, but it was easy to hold off. He considered himself a gentleman in bed; he would wait for them.

Spy squeezed the palm in his hand tightly. Pyro's hands were smaller than the large fireproof gloves made him think. It wasn’t too difficult to hold them in place when Pyro pushed against him while nearing climax.

Spy growled from deeply in his chest, " _Tu me rends fou.”_ If his words weren't understood, his tone was clearly full of praise and arousal.

Each thrust had Pyro crying out now that their bodies were coming together hard and fast like they wanted. Pyro felt like their body was throbbing down in the depths of their belly, and through their thighs. Every time Spy so much as brushed by their clit their legs spasmed.

For a moment they couldn't seem to breathe, everything burst into colour with Spy's voice and then, even when Spy was quiet, the colours didn’t go away. They swirled like thick smoke at first and then took on shapes—flowers bursting into flame, birds that seemed to turn into dragonflies. Everything was so bright and colourful, shining intensely as they came, their thighs shaking around Spy, their muscles twitching and tightening as though to keep him inside. Their eyes were wide, not focused enough to meet Spy's, distracted by the strange images and colours dancing in front of them. Their synesthesia usually required voices, noises, but now it was the most intense it had ever been and Spy was only making soft sounds as he thrust into them.

Still, they didn't come down after, as they usually did once they came—they were right on the precipice of another peak, still lost in their hallucinations, their body trembling in their attempt to be still. Their nails dug into Spy. They wanted to feel him cum. Spy felt hot in them, like fire, and nothing could be better. They thought they could feel his pulse pounding through them.

Spy's cock throbbed as the soft walls closed around him and satisfaction washed through him, knowing he made his partner climax. The warmth spreading through his body gripped him and he groaned in a voice full of excitement, " _Je jouis_!"

He thrust into them with a few final, hard thrusts, moaning every time as he spilled the last of his seed. As the semen left him, he deflated. His cock softened and his body did also, as he melted down onto Pyro.

Pyro arced off the bed once more as Spy came in them, reaching their last crest all at once. Everything lit up orange and yellow, growing across their world like vines, opaque and impossible to ignore. Their breaths came hard and ragged as the visions faded. They sank happily back into the bed, just as spent as Spy.

After a moment's recovery, they released their fingernails from his shoulder and gently stroked their fingertips over the small marks they'd left. Pyro was still flushed, little freckle-like scars showing up white over the reddened skin. They stroked their fingers through Spy's hair, reveling in the touch of it. It was a good length—short, but with enough hair to get a good grip with their fingers if they wanted to tug. But for now they were gentle; everything felt so good and all they wanted was to lie here with Spy, warm and satisfied.

Spy withdrew his cock but remained close to Pyro. He cupped their face in his hands and kissed them again. He couldn't hold back the affection.

After Spy caught his breath and gained his composure again, he pushed himself up onto an elbow and let his hands wander Pyro's body. The gesture was no longer heavy with sexual need, it was almost innocent and simply curious. His eyes spoke of adoration and a desire to know every detail of Pyro.

The curious hand felt good, sending a pleasant buzz through Pyro. They relaxed under the touch, their own hands exploring Spy carefully. They were delicate around his scars, but especially curious about the burns. Some of them were quite bad, and Pyro stroked them sympathetically. They knew the pain and annoyance of healing burns.

The tattoos were also stroked and admired, Pyro tracing them with their fingers as though memorizing their shapes. Spy's skin was far more interesting like this.

They were pleased to finally see him, and be seen themself.  



	23. Cinders

Finished with his blueprint, Engineer had immediately thrown himself into his project. He knew Spy said the fucking machine was dangerous to have about, but for a night or two, surely it would be fine. He’d had an idea for a different design and he’d been itching to get it down on paper, and then once it was down he couldn’t help building it. Finally, he was finished, and he stood back, wiping sweat from his brow. 

Engineer turned to look at Pyro, but found only an empty desk. He turned off the radio playing soft country music and checked the clock. It was getting late, maybe they'd already gone to bed. 

The bed was empty.

Pyro wasn't in the workshop at all.

The only reason they really left was to shower, but they'd done that earlier, Dell vaguely remembered them leaving and coming back. Maybe they were with Spy?

Dell headed down the hall towards the smoking room. He knocked softly, before trying the door and finding it unlocked. There was no one in the smoking room proper, but the door to the bathroom was open.

No one was there either, but there was an empty fire-entry suit.

Feeling an odd pit in his stomach, he opened the secret door to Spy's bedroom. For a moment he felt relief, to see Pyro there, but then his heart sank a little. Spy and Pyro were naked together, Spy's scars and tattoos on display, Pyro no longer in their suit. As much as he'd meant his earlier encouragement for Pyro to become more independent, to feel free to go out in the world and leave Dell behind, part of him had never expected they would. 

Now that Pyro felt safe enough to go, would they ever come back?

Dell found he couldn't speak and instead he turned in the door and closed it, heading back to his workshop. They deserved this, they'd never had anyone but Dell. He shouldn't feel like this, jealous and forgotten and left behind. Really, it was about time Pyro felt comfortable enough to leave.

Spy turned quickly when he heard the door open. Only two people knew how to access the room and one of them was naked in his arms. He was relieved to see Engineer, but when the man turned and left, Spy was surprised. "Dell?" He said, to the empty doorway, then looked at Pyro curiously.

Something was wrong, he felt that. He reached for his watch, to cloak and follow Dell, but did not find it on the nightstand. He cursed, trying to think where he put it while worrying over his partner.

He jumped from the bed and called through the doorway, "Engineer! Come back!" The title was impersonal but he knew not to say their true names too loudly here.

Pyro was up only a moment after Spy, though their legs felt weak still. They gathered their underclothes and their suit and dressed quickly, following Dell out to the workshop at a trot, ignoring the fact that they were only wearing half a mask.

There was no one in the hall to see them, thankfully.

Upon getting to the workshop they followed Dell into the back, to their bedroom, sitting next to him and wrapping him up in their arms.

Dell put an arm back around them, weakly. "Aw darlin', I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," he rubbed a hand over their shaved head.

"Are you okay?" they murmured, glad they didn't have to extricate themself to sign for Dell. 

He nodded, but the expression of unhappiness lingered.

Spy hurriedly dressed himself and fumbled to put his watch on. When he reached the garage door, it had already shut and locked, but it didn't keep him out for long. The remains of the lock, after being sapped, sizzled with electricity and Spy pushed open the door to seek his partners.

He found them in the bedroom and Spy slipped beside Dell. He looked over them both before taking his hand to hold. "Mon grand, I'm sorry it hurt you to see us like that," he murmured softly.

Dell shook his head. "No, no, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to, to make this into a thing." He squeezed Spy's hand gratefully. "I shouldn't feel..." he didn't supply a word for how he felt. He turned to Pyro. "I wanted you to spread your wings and have your own space and your own relationships. I want that," he clarified. He still did want that. "It just..." he couldn't even explain his hurt in a way that didn't sound like he'd been left behind.

Dell knew, logically, that this would only forge their three-way relationship stronger, if anything, but his emotions didn't seem to follow the same track. It was hard seeing Pyro out on their own, not needing him. It was good. It was supposed to be good, but it stung.

"I'm glad," he said softly, "I know it wasn't easy for either of you to come out and show yourselves. I'm proud of you both."

Pyro leaned their head on Dell's shoulder. They signed as they spoke so that Spy could understand. "I will always need you -no one is leaving," they assured him, nudging his cheek with the edge of their respirator. "I am not going anywhere."

Spy's heart swelled as Dell assured he was proud. It was a great challenge to be so transparent with anyone, and now he shared some of his closest secrets with both of his partners.

But he kept his feelings quiet for now to focus on Dell. He nodded to Pyro's input and agreed. "You are an important part of this affair we are in. We are never forgetting you." He cupped Dell's larger hand in his own, "You're always with us, in a way... But if you prefer that you are with us in person, we will accommodate."

"I know," Dell assured them, "I know, it just... it threw me, I guess. I shouldn't feel like this," he laughed softly. "I really am glad you two are so close."

Having both of them there helped. They had both come immediately to check on him. Even though he felt a little foolish for having turned and left like that, it relieved him that they had followed. "I want you two to have alone time. I'm real glad you feel safe with someone else, Firebug, I am," Dell assured his friend.

Pyro nodded. They could understand an emotional reaction like that, they'd certainly had their own before they felt able to open up completely. Being so close to another person was new, there was bound to be some hurt feelings here or there, they figured. But Spy wanted them both happy, and Pyro still felt that glow from having shown themself to Spy, as well as seeing all of Spy for the first time.

"I feel ridiculous," Dell admitted with a little chuckle, his cheeks red. He still had a bit of a nervous feeling in his gut, but most of it had been soothed.

Spy chuckled and began to shrug, not denying Engineer's feeling. But he stopped himself. "This is new territory. It is expected to find ourselves a little bit lost." Spy assured. He hummed in quiet amusement, "Even with all of these degrees from learning how to solve problems, I think you don't have an answer for this one. May I suggest? Pyro and I won't let you be so involved in your work that you don't come to bed."

Dell leaned over and kissed Spy, bumping noses with him. He laughed a little. "Nope, my degrees haven't prepared me for this, that's for sure. ...Thanks," he said, "both of you. I'm fine, really. And I'd appreciate that, though I might still make the choice to stay up now and then." Dell couldn't promise he'd always come to bed when asked. Even Pyro couldn't get him to retire when he was in the middle of something.

Pyro could tell Dell was still feeling a little off, but if he said he was feeling better than maybe he wanted them to drop it. "Should we sleep here?" they asked, starting to undo their suit again. It would be nice to not have to sleep in anything but their respirator.

Spy nodded, "I want to stay here tonight, with both of you." He knew that in some ways, he was the accessory member to this couple. Pyro and Engineer functioned in perfect harmony and he worried that the Texan's idea of fixing the problem could be to remove Spy.

Spy never fell in love with someone he was hired to spy on, and yet, he confessed to both team members how he loved them. Losing either one now was not an option, and he was determined to tend to this relationship with the same care and attention he put into every part of his life.

As Pyro broke away to undress, he adjusted on the bed and brought Engineer down to rest his head and shoulders in Spy's lap. Spy removed the Engineer's goggles and petted his shaved head.

Dell gave a slow sigh, then a groan of pleasure as Spy stroked away some of the tension there. He squeezed the other man's thigh, looking up at him with a little smile. "Love you," he whispered up at Spy. It was nice to say it, nice to have Spy here, holding him.

Pyro stripped down, leaving their fire suit in the locker Dell had made specifically for it to hang in. It didn’t seem any worse for wear after being left on the floor for a couple hours, thankfully. They made themself comfortable in their usual place on the bed. Their eyes smiled to see Dell and Spy being so sweet together. The jealousy they'd felt watching the two kiss seemed to be lessening. Spy still kissed them plenty, even if they couldn't return the favour.

Spy smirked and cupped his cheek, "Moi aussi," he almost whispered. The mood seemed quiet and soft and he didn't want to disrupt it, he wanted to ease into the softness and enjoy the comfort of his partners.

Dell sat up, pulling himself up to the pillows and offering a hand to Spy to bring him in between Pyro and himself. "Sorry to cause a fuss," he apologized again. "Everything's fine."

Spy put up a hand, suggesting he wait, and he allowed himself to remove his suit. If he stayed in bed wearing the suit it would be wrinkled, and he would not allow that.

He was almost naked and he let himself look over his smooth and unblemished skin again one more time before he unfastened the watch and placed it on the nightstand. There was almost something symbolic in the gesture, he thought, to leave his guards and barriers on the table before laying down with his lovers. But it seemed like the only appropriate way to be with them now.

Dell welcomed Spy into his arms, glad to see him naked and comfortable with both of them at last. Spy lay between the other two mercs, and they both put an arm over him, Pyro squeezing Dell's arm gently.


	24. Scald

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a look into the past

They spoke quietly for a time, and their tone slowly changed from careful to far more relaxed. They talked a little about their histories, about college and the ranch, about their relationship.

"You work well together. But, as you tell me, all of this compatibility and you have no sexual chemistry?" It was difficult for Spy to imagine. He was a lover as much as he was a fighter. And he knew both partners so intimately, he knew neither one was unpleasant in bed.

Dell and Pyro exchanged a look. They had experimented in their youth, certainly, after Dell had started college. But as much as they loved each other and knew each other, it hadn't been a great experience for either of them.

Pyro signed, " **We tried."** They gave a shrug. " **We both like different things. Or sometimes the same things, but from the same side. Dell doesn't really like fire or being held down. I don't really like being tied up or restrained."** They shrugged again. They both liked having a certain amount of control, and it hadn't been as easy to share that as they'd expected. Pyro had even tried a fucking machine, thinking they could have a sexual relationship through the machines, but the pace and energy of it had been too much for them.

Spy smirked, apparently amused. "I can't imagine how you came to decide who would top. But I must ask, who topped?"

Dell scoffed, "What kind of fool question is that?"

Spy clicked his tongue, "There is more to dominance than a cock. You know that."

Engineer rolled his eyes, "I ain't answering it though."

He remembered the night very well, even without speaking about it. Pyro and him never discussed it to know not to speak of it again. He remembered arriving at college and seeing the public displays of affection of their peers. It seemed so natural to begin kissing, and holding hands.

Dell was so sure they were ready when he suggested something more. "Firebug. Do you ever think about you and me..." He rubbed the back of his neatly shaved head. "In bed together, in an intimate way?"

Firebug smiled. They knew Dell's nervous tic well.

"I've thought about it," they said, a little suggestively. It was really only recently that they—and they hoped Dell too—had realized how sheltered they'd been. Being around people their age was so new to them.

They liked kissing Dell. And they'd been sharing a bed with him since the two of them had moved here; at first just because they both tended to get the most homesick at night, but eventually it became a regular comfort. It seemed only natural that things would keep changing between them. It was rare that Dell acted so shy with them, and it felt a little strange, but they had to admit their thoughts ran parallel to his.

Dell wasn't sure how to put together the words for what he wanted. But he had clear images in his mind for everything that he wanted from this. The young Conagher took his best friend's hand and squeezed it. "I hoped so. I think I have some ideas that the girls around here wouldn't like. But you and I? We share everything, we probably share a couple fantasies too. Right?"

They agreed, squeezing Dell’s hand back. “I think so.” And they stood.

Firebug pulled off their top. It was odd. As many times as Dell had seen them naked, this time it felt new.

Engineer was eager, but hesitated to undress yet. He opened his backpack and grabbed a coil of rope. He sat on the edge of the bed with the rope and watched Firebug. He tried to make himself see their beauty in a sexual light. They caught a lot of attention from men on campus, and Dell knew they were beautiful. He never saw them in the way other men seemed to.

But right now he couldn't imagine anyone to trust being so vulnerable with, except this person he shared his life with.

Firebug let their skirt drop. It was still a fairly recent discovery for them that people would throw a fit if they wore pants. They didn't mind skirts but they weren't as practical.

They sat on the edge of the bed once they were naked, looking up at Dell, giving him a smile. He still looked nervous. They felt nervous too, neither of them had done this before. Still, they knew it would only make Dell more nervous if they let it show.

Dell was working a length of rope in his hands. Though they knew Dell was interested in bondage, they had never tried much of it with him, only a few basics. They weren't much interested in it, but they were willing to try, especially if it made Dell more comfortable.

"You plan to undress?" Firebug teased. "Or is it just going to be me?"

"Hold your horses." Dell chuckled to calm his nerves. He unbuttoned his overalls and dropped them off, then unbuttoned his shirt. "Better?" He smiled to try to encourage Firebug. He picked up the rope and started to uncoil it into the lengths he needed, "I had some ideas I wanted to try. A little bit of foreplay will put us in the mood, and the rest will come naturally."

Firebug was having the same thoughts Dell had had just moments before. They'd seen him naked since they were kids together. Though kissing and holding hands had been nice, and they had had a few fantasies like this, they suddenly felt far more awkward about it. Sex was always awkward the first time, though, wasn't it? Dell was handsome, and they loved him. They could only hope they’d figure it out.

"Yes, better. I'm guessing foreplay might involve bondage?" They tried to keep things light. "Should I stand?" They weren't exactly sure what he had in mind.

Dell nodded and helped Firebug up. He started to wrap the rope around them. The rope linked and knotted nicely around their feminine frame. He wished it was less feminine, but he would not admit that to Firebug or to himself.

His fingers traced over their thin arms and shoulders, down the chest with ropes, and over their hips. The ropes bit nicely into their soft skin and made the bondage appear much tighter than he thought it was.

"It looks good... How does it feel?" Dell asked. He gripped the rope lengths around their hips and lifted them up to put them on the bed again.

It became more and more apparent as the rope rubbed against their skin that they weren't fond of this. They hadn't minded when Dell had tried out wrist or ankle bondage on them, or even just practiced knots while they held the rope, but this felt more restrictive. Dell lifting them by the rope was even more restrictive and uncomfortable.

Firebug gave Dell a stiff sort of smile. For some reason, the harness gave them an uncomfortable tight feeling in their chest. They considered pushing through it, but they didn't want to be dishonest with Dell.

"I'm not sure I like it," they admitted. "It's pretty, though.” They’d like to see it on someone else.

Dell nodded, and assured, "That's fine! You don't have to like it. We can try something else!" He climbed into the bed and undid the ropes, as he offered other things on his mind, "We can try leather cuffs, or get some toys. Whatever we want!"

It was a relief to get the ropes off. They liked seeing bondage like that, it was really pretty, but it felt surprisingly restrictive for just being a harness. Dell suggested cuffs next and Firebug wasn't sure they wanted to give up that much control, especially for a first attempt at sex. But it also seemed like Dell might need it to get in the mood at all.

"We can try cuffs," they agreed. At least that would be softer, and they'd let Dell tie up their wrists before.

Dell pulled his back pack onto the bed and brought out the leather cuffs with a proud smile. He made them from extra material and was very excited where his imagination went while he was in an ordinary workshop.

Dell clipped them onto them and started to bring their wrists up to the head board, "Is that better, Firebug?"

They nodded, but they weren't entirely sure they wanted to be bound to the bed. Then they couldn't touch Dell, couldn't really do much of anything. They could see the appeal of having a partner unable to move, but they didn't see the same appeal in _being_ unable to move.

Firebug let Dell attach them to the headboard. They were getting butterflies in their stomach. More nervousness than excitement. They took a slow breath.

"Kiss me?" they asked. That might help soothe them. They knew they were safe, of course, they trusted Dell entirely, but they still felt off.

Dell gladly did so. He cupped their face in his palm and kissed them. It helped to calm his nerves and center his thoughts. Everything he was nervous about seemed small now.

He was with the only person he wanted to be so open with.

The kiss calmed Firebug too. They hummed happily against Dell's lips, smiling. "Love you," they murmured, when he pulled away. "You ready?" Firebug was fairly certain Dell preferred men, and they knew that though they weren't exactly either gender, they looked very feminine.

Before tonight, their fantasies had seemed pretty distant. They'd been sure Dell would rather pursue some of the men he studied with.

Dell nodded, "Yeah, I think I am." He moved down between their legs and gently parted them.

Despite how comfortably he shared a bed with his friend, and how easily they pressed together to sleep, their bodies did not seem to fit together with ease. Dell pressed his length inside and was glad to find the passage warm and welcoming.

He was not much shorter than they were, but he was a little too short to easily reach their lips. Instead he watched his partner respond to his thrusts.

Though the kiss had helped excite them, they weren't as ready as they would have liked. The initial thrust was uncomfortable, they weren't wet enough for him to press in without something to ease the way. They were tight, it was not often that they fucked themself with a toy. Not only that, but Dell's cock was wide, wider than they'd taken before.

They tried to change the angle of their hips in hopes that that would help, and it did rid them of the discomfort. Thankfully they became slicker as Dell worked in them, and they adjusted a little more. It still wasn't what they had been hoping for. Firebug met Dell's eyes, trying to see if he was enjoying himself more than them.

The young engineer met their eyes and expected to feel a deep and wonderful connection.

He smiled and continued to roll his hips while assuring them, "You feel wonderful. You feel so warm, and tight."

It was true, but it wasn't enough. He felt his erection softening despite being pumped inside their body. He grunted and pumped his hips a little faster, in an attempt to keep his erection. Dell slowed down and stopped with a rather embarrassed expression. "Good Lord. Firebug, I'm sorry. I wish I could say this doesn't usually happen to me, but I don't know myself." He withdrew and sat back on his heels. "I don't think we're doing this right."

Firebug just gave him a little smile as he pulled out. They weren't expecting to feel relieved, but they were. They wanted to wrap Dell up in their arms, but they were still bound to the bed. "It's ok. I think—" They knew Dell might not want to hear this. "I think you love me more than anyone, but I don't think I'm your... type."

They felt a little conflicted. They had wanted it to work out for Dell and them. They'd wanted their first times to be good. So it was a disappointment, but it was also a relief to find out that it wasn't likely to work out between them. "Love you."

"I love you too, Firebug," Dell assured them. When they said they weren't his type, Dell didn't understand.

It wasn't until he started noticing how much he looked at his male classmates. And also _how_ he looked at those classmates.

He loved Pyro and he was glad that neither one ever doubted that. But they were not compatible as partners. They never spoke of that night again. They never needed to and Dell was grateful.

Thinking about it was more than Dell needed, and he shook his head to rid himself of the memory. "We don't talk about it. It didn't work out, and we didn't try again. Firebug and I are best when we're working together on someone else," Dell said with a grin, looking over Spy.

Spy winked. "I'll consider myself most fortunate to fit both of your exclusive tastes."  



	25. Wither

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a sleepless night for some

After that, it didn't take Pyro long to pass out. It had been a big and exciting day for them, and their after-sex exhaustion seemed to catch up with them all at once.

Dell, however, wasn't quite as restful. Still, he closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. Sleep would come eventually.

Spy could not fall asleep while Dell was clearly awake. It was late, and although the Texan usually slept deeply with rhythmic breaths through the night, this night it was clear he was not restful at all.

Dell waited a long time, until he felt sure both Spy and Pyro were asleep. His body became more and more tense as time went on. He got up quietly. Pyro stirred briefly and he paused until they settled back down.

He went quietly out into the workshop proper and sat at his workbench, turning on the small lamp there. With a soft groan, he began to take off the gunslinger. It wasn't something he did all the time, he usually slept with it on, having a dispenser around kept chafing and discomfort to a minimum, and taking it off was uncomfortable mentally, or maybe emotionally.

It was often after a hard day that he felt it: A burning pressure on a limb that didn't exist anymore. Sometimes it hurt to the point of tears, but tonight he could manage it, with a few soft sounds of pain.

He considered the TENS unit tucked under his worktable. Pyro knew what the TENS unit meant, that Dell was hurting. They always took it to heart and felt guilty. Dell didn't like to use the machine for just that reason, though it did help with the pain.

He rubbed his flesh and blood hand over the scar tissue at the end of his arm, squeezing gently in an attempt to remind his body that there was nothing there to hurt.

Spy was intensely curious and would follow Engineer immediately or ask him what he left to do—if he didn't feel Pyro stir. Pyro was a very light sleeper, they always came awake whenever Spy was awake in the middle of the night. He had to admire how Dell left the bed without waking Pyro. He finally did leave the bed without waking them himself and he went to the doorway to watch Dell from the shadows.

He watched as Engineer massaged his stump and tended to the long healed arm with great care and attention. When he brought out a box, Spy came forward quietly and leaned to the edge of the work bench. "Do you need help with this?" Spy whispered.

Dell nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn't heard Spy come out of the bedroom at all. "Dangit, Spy, you gave me a heart attack." He gave him a weak smile.

He attached a few electrodes on and around the shortened end of his arm, then set the machine up. He hardly had to look at the controls to set it to the right intensity. He'd built this little machine himself, once he'd heard they could help with phantom pain. "I'm fine, just hurting a little tonight," he said, voice soft. He didn't want to wake Pyro. "You don't have to stay up with me, I know it's been a long night."

Spy waved his hand to dismiss the suggestion. "I won't sleep, knowing you are out here. And in pain, no less." He traced Engineer's arm with his eyes, "I thought this healed a long time ago... Is this phantom pain?" His voice was full of sympathy, it was a pain he never knew and he was glad to never experience it. He heard it was terrible.

Dell put his hand on Spy's back, gratefully. "Yeah. It doesn't happen all that often, but I find if I've had a big day it tends to hit me at night." He caught Spy's eyes and held his gaze. "Please, don't tell Firebug."

Spy raised a curious brow and stated, "This is a surprising thing to not tell them." Engineer seemed to value being open and candid, especially with those close to him. To keep something from Pyro conflicted with how Spy knew Engineer to be.

Dell nodded. "I know, I don't usually keep anything from them, but," he sighed, "they were with me when my arm got mangled. We were being incredibly stupid and started a small fire by accident and it got out of control. We tried to contain it instead of getting out. Dumbest thing I ever did." He shook his head. "Pyro feels real guilty about the whole thing, but it wasn't their fault. I don't like to let them know when it hurts so they don't feel bad about it."

He'd been eighteen when it had happened, and Pyro fifteen. Pyro had been trying to get ahold of Bea's flamethrower all year to try it out, but Bea never let them so much as touch it. Pyro was determined to try one, and Dell offered to help them build one. In secret, since he knew his mother wouldn't want them building weapons. Dell figured it ran in the family, building weapons, and it wasn't too much of a risk.

The actual building of the flamethrower went great, up until they tried to test it. They didn't add much fuel, not sure of the thing's power, and Dell, being the older of the two, strapped it on and tested it. He thought he'd given himself lots of space for the burst of flame, and if the damn thing hadn't had so much force it might have been fine. As it was, he was pushed back a few steps, the flame spreading from side to side as he tried to steady himself, the fuel sticking everywhere it landed and lighting up.

The floor and wall caught first. It was an old barn that they were in; clean, with no straw anywhere to catch, but the wood was dry and it went up fast. The two of them tried to put it out but it spread too quickly and soon enough it had climbed up to the beams in the ceiling.

A flaming board crashed down on the two of them. It hit at an angle, and Pyro was only just scraped down their arm. Dell's wrist was pinned and he wasn't nearly strong enough to get out.

Pyro ran for help and Dell blacked out some time after.

His arm wasn't amputated immediately. His hand was too stiff to move even once it healed, with the help of a dispenser. The scar tissue prevented most movement. The young Engineer fell into a depression, feeling useless and unable to do the things he used to.

Dell’s father built him a metal hand like Radigan's, and after what seemed like eternity, it was ready to use. The Classic Medic amputated his mangled forearm and he had his first gunslinger. After that, he'd designed his own.

Before the accident, Dell and Pyro would often play with fire together, Dell allowing Pyro to burn him and burning them as well. Afterwards, he couldn't bring himself to do it anymore.

Pyro felt guilty about the whole thing, but Dell never blamed them. It had been his decision to help them, his decision to test the weapon inside, his decision not to leave the barn immediately.

It had been his own fault, but he could never convince Pyro to accept that.

Spy rested his hand on Dell's knee and listened. He didn't want to hold his hand. Either Engineer was setting up something delicate with the machine, or he was playing with it to distract himself from the pain. Spy did not want to interrupt either action. "I'm sorry, I cannot begin to imagine how this feels." It was a rare thing to not experience something. He often felt that he went everywhere and did everything that there was possible to do. But he never lost a body part like this. He could only follow whatever Dell told him.

"I won't tell Pyro," Spy murmured.

Dell leaned his head on Spy’s shoulder, nodding. “Thanks,” he said simply. “I might be out here for an hour,” he warned his lover.

Spy stroked Engineer's cheek and asked with a grin, "Do you want me to provide you with conversation or whisper sweet nothings in your ear for an hour?" It was clear he wasn't abandoning his partner when he was struggling.

“If you whisper sweet nothings we will end up waking Pyro.” Dell grinned and pressed his face into Spy’s hand gratefully. “But conversation would be nice."

Spy waited with an open palm as Engineer adjusted the dials of his electrical unit again. When he was done, he put his left hand in Spy's hand again.

While one arm was massaged by deep electrical pulses, the other hand was touched by a loving hand. Spy's fingertips moved down along Engineer's fingers and he asked, "Why is it that you don't wear your wedding ring?"  
  
Engineer took a short hesitation, at first confused and then surprised. “Didn’t like wearing it,” he admitted. “Always felt awkward. Plus, I don’t want our teammates asking about my... ‘wife’.” He squeezed Spy’s hand gently. “How long have you known?”   
  
Spy played it off casually, "It's my business to know. You should assume that I know everything about you, mon grand." He definitely didn't want to admit how much time passed until he learned who the 'wife' was. "Do you not want me asking questions about your marriage?" Spy asked. He knew it wasn't a true romantic love. He wasn't jealous of the bond Pyro and Engineer had. But he still hated the idea of Dell trying to keep him out of anything too close and personal to him.   
  
“No, you can ask me anything. Especially about me being sneaky for once and doing you proud,” Dell told him with a chuckle. “And if I can ask how you figured it out,” he smiled a little.   
  
There was still a little tension and pain in his expression but it was clear the distraction of Spy’s conversation was welcome.   
  
Spy picked up the man's hand to kiss his knuckles, "Yes. Quite sneaky, among the best, no doubt."   
  
He hated to admit how he found out. Spy liked people to think that everyone was an open book under his clever eyes.   
  
But he admitted, "I took your paycheck and I found your marital benefits."   
  
Dell just laughed. “Shoulda guessed it was something like that. How did you figure out it was Firebug?”   
  
He didn’t really feel they’d been particularly sneaky. It had felt more like they’d painted themselves into a corner. They wanted to live together, and often they shared a bed.   
  
It hadn’t even occurred to them at first that an unmarried man and ‘woman’ sharing a house would scandalize the neighbours. Pyro rarely bothered to correct people who assumed they were a woman, so it was rare that anyone thought differently of them.   
  
Spy smirked, he wanted to take credit for that. "It wasn't too difficult to put together the clues. I saw the photo of your college sweetheart..." He flipped open his cigarette case and revealed where he kept the image. "and then I recognised them... Eventually."   
  
“You little thief,” Dell scolded, but it was clear he wasn’t serious. “I would have told you earlier,” he said, “but Firebug wanted to stay a mystery and I wasn’t gonna give them up.”   
  
Spy could sympathise with that. He thrived in mystery and preferred when nobody knew too much about him.   
  
He nodded, "I mentioned the marriage to them first. They told me as much as they could... without telling me everything." Spy squeezed Dell's hand again, "They told me your wife knows that I'm your lover, and accepts it. And they assured me that I didn't need to worry. I decided you could keep your secret a little longer."   
  
"I'm glad you didn't make any decisions about our relationship based on me being a married man," Dell said, stroking his thumb over Spy's knuckles. "Or, if you did, they were pretty subtle." Engineer sighed. The TENS unit was doing its work and some of the pain was subsiding. "I was worried, you know, when you saw this picture." He tapped the photo in Spy's cigarette case. "I thought you might put the green eyes and red hair together. But so much about them has changed. As cute as they were, I think they look a lot more like themself now." He looked the photo over again. "Heck, I've changed a bit since then too."   
  
Spy smirked. He didn't want to admit that he couldn't protect himself from falling for Dell. Married or not. Instead he looked at the photo and considered, "even now that I know the truth, I cannot imagine our Pyro presenting in such a feminine manner. There, in the photo, they are beautiful, but as themself now, they are stunning."   
  
Dell smiled, leaning close to Spy for a brief kiss. “I’m real glad this all happened. I think we both needed you.”

Spy softly spoke with the Engineer and comforted him when he flinched or became tense. Both were careful not to speak too loudly, although happy chuckles sometimes broke the low volume.

The Frenchman nodded to a machine covered by a sheet and whispered, "Is that what I think it is?"

Dell glanced over, nodding. "I had an idea to redesign it and I was hoping to test it out tonight, before destroying it again. Tonight didn't turn out quite the way I planned." His smile was a little strained with the pain of his arm. "Maybe tomorrow."

Spy grinned wider. He loved the first design, and was full of excitement to experience a new design. "You will have my total, undivided attention tomorrow," Spy purred into the man's ear.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Engineer warned him, with a laugh.

When Engineer finally sighed and started to box up the device he used, a quiet shift was heard behind them. Forgetting that Pyro was nearby, Spy turned quickly. No one was in the garage with them. Pyro was still in bed.

Nothing was out of place but the blinking red light of the sapped door lock. "Apologies, but you will need to fix the door before you return to bed. I'm afraid I needed to use some force to enter."

Dell gave Spy a scowl. “You couldn’t’ve knocked?” he sighed. He appreciated that Spy had been prompt in coming to check on him, but his security measures were more important than his hurt feelings. “You used a sapper?” Dell confirmed, looking at the mess of his lock with a grimace. He began to put his gunslinger back on. He was tired and felt fried, but he needed to fix the lock.

“You should go to bed,” Dell suggested, no longer in the mood to talk so easily with Spy. “I won’t be too long.”

Spy stood and continued to look over the room. He couldn't help feeling exposed. Being in nothing but his underclothes did not help that sensation. "I thought you wouldn’t let me in if I only asked nicely."

Dell sighed through his nose. Though he was annoyed with Spy, he wasn’t angry enough to ignore him reaching out for comfort. “’Course I’d let you in,” he said gruffly.

"Next time, stay." Spy offered a welcoming smile. Rather than knock and hope to be let in, he wanted Dell to stay and let Pyro and himself help, if he was hurt by them again. He looked to the door. "This time... Well, I apologized. Can I provide you help?" Spy didn't know where to start on a project like this, and it probably wasn't something for him to help with. But he offered anyhow.

“You get some rest.” Dell’s voice softened. “I’ll just get it closed and fix it properly tomorrow.” He grabbed his tools, as quietly as he could. “I will stay next time.”

Spy nodded and went to the bedroom while watching the shut door. It was rare to make such foolish mistakes as leaving a door unlocked. But he could only hope nothing bad came from it.


	26. Ablaze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> well shit

The Administrator was in a broad black leather chair, with thin spider arms reaching out and touching the controls in front of her.

She didn't turn to greet her guest, but she didn't truly turn her back on him either. A screen on the control panel showed Dell clearly, standing in the open dark space of her office. She was in no rush. She never hurried herself for the mercenaries. Only when she was fully ready, she turned the seat to meet Dell.

"Dell Conagher, it's good to have you here. Are you enjoying your employment with Team Fortress Industries?" The words were pleasant but her expression was hard and cruel. She opened a hand to motion to a seat and a coffee table, welcoming him to sit down. The table had a crisp folder waiting for him.

Dell knew the Administrator by her reputation; as a fierce and terrifying woman. By all accounts she could even cow the Classic Pyro.

He was nervous even before being summoned. He hadn’t seen Spy or Pyro during most of the battle and that was very unusual. He was worried about them.

“Yes ma’am,” he answered, though he was trying to figure out her motives. So far he had nothing. He let her guide the conversation, not sure what she was looking for from him. He sat, but stiffly. He looked at the folder for a moment before daring to open it.

His face went red.

Someone photographed the fucking machine. It was very apparent to any who looked at the first obscene photo, what the machine was in the first image. But the photos went on to show the details: the size of the dildo and the textured ribbing on it, the sturdy cuffs, the dials and settings for speed. It was worse than being caught with a pornography magazine. This was a view into his mind.

"I'm glad," Elizabeth spoke, ignoring the horror on Dell's face. "You're a talented Engineer and many would kill to have you." It wasn't an exaggeration. Murder was a small price to pay to have the service of a Conagher. "But… those pesky morality clauses. Restrictions to keep out people with... these inclinations." She met his eyes, fully shaming the desires that made him build the machine. "We, Team Fortress Industries, and RED specifically, are willing to look past this. However, you will never work for another company for as long as we want you. Understand?" 

The threat was clear. If Dell ever wanted to leave the mercenary business, Elizabeth would use these photos to destroy his professional name and force him out of any industry.

Dell clenched his jaw. Spy had been right. He should never have built a second one. There was nothing he could do or say. “I understand.” he nodded. He’d royally fucked up.

The Administrator raised a sharp, thin brow. "I was told you are more stubborn than that. I needed to take certain measures to ensure obedience."

“What kind of measures, ma’am?” His blood went cold. What kind of sadistic solution would this woman suggest?

"I sent your team's Pyro to another base until I could be sure Pyro isn’t going to give me trouble," she answered simply. She was sure he already expected this, but it didn't hurt to be totally clear. It was possible Dell feared the worst: That she was threatening Pyro's life or health.

Dell was instantly on his feet and everything clicked in his mind. He hadn’t seen Pyro. Pyro was already gone. “You can’t do that!” he protested.

His anger was so tight it was choking him. Pyro and him had never been apart for more than a few days. What would they do without him?

What would he do without them?

The Administrator frowned hard. She did not like to be questioned. "I can," she stated and waited for Dell to argue or fight back. He would learn a hard lesson about how much control she had, if he pushed her.

“Where did you send them?” he demanded, no longer afraid of what would happen to him.

"I sent them to a RED team, but if you think you are getting in your truck and rescuing them, I will put them on BLU before you even leave this office." She leaned forward and hissed, "You would be shot before you are ever close enough to honk your horn."

It would be bad for Dell, but it would be worse for Pyro. It was not impossible for a mercenary to be traded to a different team, even the enemy team. But it was rare, and never easy for the mercenary forced to become a traitor to their team.

Dell’s ears were ringing and his vision went red for a moment. “You can’t do this,” he repeated. He felt at a loss. He had no way out. Pyro was gone. He had no leverage to get them back.

Elizabeth relaxed into her seat. She didn't expect that her secondary measures to keep Dell under control would make him angrier than her first threat of blackmail. But he seemed to be accepting the situation, as much as he did not want to.

"I already did it,” she stated while she turned to face her control panel. "Go back to your base. If you behave, Pyro will return by next month. If you make trouble over this, Pyro will regret it."

Dell could do nothing. All he had was a warning. Not even a threat, but a prediction of the next month.

“You’ll regret this.” His voice was soft but there was steel underneath. 

He left. All he could do was go back to the base.

Alone.

 

***

 

It was only midway through battle when they were approached by a man in purple. Dell had said that purple was the boss’ colour and they had to listen to the people who wore it. The man demanded Pyro follow him, and Pyro did.

They were led off the battlefield, past the base and out to the little station where a train was waiting. They were ushered onboard.

They tried to ask the man several questions, but their words weren’t understood and they were ignored. They asked where they were going, why they’d left battle, what was going on? Once it became clear that they would get no answers, they stopped asking.

The trip was long, several hours of nothingness on the hot train, Pyro sweating down the back of their suit. The arrival brought relief, but also fear. They were at a different base.

They were nudged out of the train and herded to the small room with the fire symbol on the door. They turned and demanded to know what was going on, where was Dell? Why were they here?

The man in purple pressed a paper into their gloved hands and all they could see was the word ‘transfer’. The stranger left. They’d been transferred to a different base. Without Dell.

They shut the door behind them and pulled off their mask. Immediately they realized that they had no respirator. Their scar would be uncovered or they would suffer uncomfortably in their mask all the time.

No one was here to see the ugly scars, but it was a small comfort to the loneliness.

They had nothing with them, only their suit and weapons.

They hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye.

What would Dell think? What would Spy think? Would anyone tell the two of them what had happened? Would they think Pyro had abandoned them? Or did they know? Did Spy know? Was this what Dell feared might happen? Was this a betrayal? 

Was this forever? Would they ever see Dell or Spy again?

No one here would understand them when they spoke, they realized. They couldn’t even ask what was going on, or get help. If they wrote down what they needed, they might get an answer, but the thought of approaching strangers in a strange place right now was terrifying.

Their train of thought was too overwhelming and they sank to the floor, back to the wall, and began to weep softly; eyes glassy, tears running down their face as they stared straight ahead as though they could see through the wall in front of them. Exposed, alone and utterly terrified, they didn’t get any sleep that night.

 

***

 

Spy arrived at the office of the Administrator. No matter how often he came here, he never felt welcome and he never felt that he had control of the situation.

Elizabeth was a dangerous woman in a way that didn't excite him. She only made him nervous. She made him wait as usual, and everything was as it was when he came to report intelligence.

Except, this time, a folder was on the table. He knew it was for him. And if it wasn't? He would peek anyway. It wasn't as thick as a contract to follow someone or kill someone. It wasn't thick enough to be a dossier of a new team member.

He was nervous, but he opened the cover anyhow. Inside were photos of himself, almost naked, and sitting beside Dell on the workbench. The scars and tattoos he kept so private were captured in great detail in every image, viewable to anyone who wanted to look. But worse, the photos showed him tenderly holding Dell, and being held in return.

"You forgot your job, Spy," the Administrator said. "As I understood, you were seducing him for access to his secrets." She turned in her seat to meet his gaze. "But you're keeping his secrets from me."

BLU Spy photographed a tender moment. It was more humiliating than when he was photographed with the enemy Scout's mother. At least then, he left her bed with knowledge of all Scout's strengths and weaknesses. But now, his loyalty to the person he was fucking was a stain on his reputation as a spy. Falling in love with someone he was seducing for information was a mistake only the weakest spies made. And yet, here he was, protecting Dell's secrets as if they were his own.

"You aren't denying it?"

"How much do you know?"

"I know everything. I expected you would try to worm your way out and deny it."

Spy wanted to, but he knew he would make a fool of himself to try.

"You're being transferred to Coldfront, immediately," Elizabeth stated. She was annoyed, but she easily went back to business. "There is a Medic there that we want to know better." She turned in her chair, "Maybe this time you won't forget who owns the secrets you find."

"When do I depart?" His insides were turning and he couldn't decide how to respond. His world was ending. He asked about his duties, unable to find any other words.

"There's a car in the garage. Take it and leave."

"I'm returning to base for my things."

"You're starting a new life," the Administrator dismissed.

"I'm saying goodbye."

"I removed you from respawn on that base."

Returning to say goodbye was a fool's errand. If he was injured he would die and stay dead. Who knows what she might have told his team about him. What she might have told Dell and Pyro about him. Silence hung in the air for a long moment. She was clearly done speaking to him and had already dismissed him once.

Spy was nearly shaking with anger and humiliation. He snatched the photos off the table and retreated with them in his fist.   
  



	27. Sea of Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's not going well

 

Pyro did not do well away from Dell.

He did so much for them, it was hard to keep up with things that they were supposed to do every day. Dell usually made breakfast and lunch for the two of them. Dell made sure they were safe when they were working. Dell took care of their burns and injuries. Dell made them feel safe and loved and connected.

They keenly felt the loss of Spy as well. They had just started to feel safe with someone else, to connect, really connect with someone outside of the one person who’d always been there for them. They’d been honest, they’d shown Spy who they were and what they looked like and now… now it was all gone, as if it hadn’t meant anything. As if it hadn’t happened at all.

A terrible part of Pyro kept thinking that maybe that was why they had been taken away. They’d revealed who they were. Maybe it had been wrong, somehow. Maybe someone had found out and they were being punished.

Another part of Pyro couldn’t help but suspect Spy. There was no indication, no reason for them to think that, but Dell’s caution around him stuck with them, and they couldn’t help but worry. What if everything Spy had done was just to betray them? They tried not to linger on those thoughts. It made missing Spy hurt even worse.

Without any means to get back to Dell and Spy and everything they knew, Pyro fell into a deep depression. They isolated themself completely. They wanted nothing to do with their new team. There was no point in talking to them anyway, no one could understand them, unless they wanted to write everything down. They didn’t want to talk to anyone.

As time went on Pyro kept missing meals. It was hard to keep up with a regular schedule when they didn’t want to do anything. The only thing they did besides battle was check the mail, desperate for any contact from Dell or Spy. Each time they checked, their heart fell to find nothing for them.

They began to sleep more and more. Anytime they weren’t working, they were curled up in bed, dozing. No matter how much they slept they always felt tired. But it was easier that way, they felt as though they didn’t have to exist when they were asleep. 

Pyro had frequent nightmares, the only downside of sleeping so much, but they found they didn’t mind the nightmares half as much as the good dreams. The dreams where Dell and Spy were with them, they were all three together. They’d wake from those dreams expecting to find another person or two in bed with them.

The bed was always empty.

Pyro became used to having their old injury exposed when they were alone, but they still hated it. The only good thing about not having Dell and Spy around was that neither of them had to look at what remained of Pyro's lower jaw. 

They no longer did upkeep of their suit and mask, or their flamethrower. They no longer coloured pictures or painted their nails—they didn’t even have the supplies to do either of those things. They even stopped playing with fire outside of battle.

They no longer did much of anything.

 

***

 

Dell wasn’t doing well either.

Upon returning to his base, he found Spy had disappeared along with Pyro. To Dell, this spoke of guilt and fear. Spy ran because he betrayed them. He hadn’t kept their secrets, and Dell and Pyro were paying the price for trusting him.

Never trust a Spy.

He also isolated himself, no longer spending any time with the team. But instead of sleeping, like Pyro, he was working. He worked incessantly. He took meals, but distractedly. Sometimes he found himself half way through making food for Pyro, as though they were still there.

But while he worked, his mind wasn’t on the loss of his best and only friend, or the betrayal of someone he’d thought had cared about the two of them.

He destroyed that fucking machine he’d made, furious with himself for his own part in this. He’d made a damn mess of everything, even without the help of a backstabbing Spy.

Dell found the hardest time was when he was trying to fall asleep, laying in bed. He found it hard to sleep at all, and often he worked late into the night, or even past dawn. His work suffered and he grew ill-tempered with everything and everyone around him. His teammates began to avoid him, which suited him just fine. 

He became savage in battle, going far beyond his usual violence with the enemy Spy. Though he felt as though beating the man who wore that uniform should give him some kind of satisfaction, he felt nothing. Spy’s betrayal had done more than separate him from Pyro. It felt as though he was in physical pain from the deception.

How could Spy have done that to them? Was it all a lie? Spy opening up to him, his shell shock, the reveal of his scars and tattoos… was it all a lie, fashioned to make Dell think he was just a man and not a heartless Spy? It felt that way. Dell could trust nothing of what Spy had shown or told him.

Spy wasn’t the man he pretended to be. Everything was a lie.

Never trust a Spy! Radigan’s voice spat the words out in Dell’s head, over and over. He berated himself with those words. How could he have broken that one simple rule?

Every night the phantom pains returned. Dell stopped trying to soothe it. He’d only take off the gunslinger and write with his left hand instead. The burning pressure began to follow him into the day, into battle even, and his scores began to suffer for it. He couldn’t let his scores go down. He fought tooth and nail to fix his mistakes, but the pain combined with his lack of sleep was wearing on him. He was struggling to keep his head above water.

Pyro had taken nothing with them except their uniform and weapons. It left Dell with too many reminders. He couldn’t go into their shared bedroom without seeing pictures, stuffed animals and photos. It bred a terrible ache, deep in his chest, every time he saw it.

He worried for them whenever he thought of them. What had they been told? Were they alright? He had no way of finding out, no way of contacting the other RED teams, knowing that the team’s new Spy was watching and listening. Dell was more paranoid than ever before. 

He was starting to remind himself of his grandfather.

Still, no matter the cost, he wouldn’t stop. He worked with a drive that he had never had before, driven by anger and terror. He would prove himself loyal to that damn woman.

He would get Firebug back.

 

***

 

Spy barely slept on the new base. He refused to accept what the Administrator did. He was exhausted and ached through his entire body.

During the days he fought and spied on his team. And at night he searched for his two lovers. Both were a challenge in a different way. But he could not let the Administrator know he was trying to find either one of them.

His plan for Pyro took more time. He shipped small packages of nail polish to every RED base he knew. He started receiving returned packages. Spy planned that many RED bases would open the package and when they saw only nail polish and no explanation, they would send it back. But he was sure one base would keep the nail polish when his Pyro saw it. Then he would know where one partner was.

Dell was more complicated. Dell would have to know Spy was trying to make contact, and choose to answer him. Spy called in to the country music radio channel Dell played in his garage. He made numerous requests as several different people, hoping the clues were clear enough to get Dell's attention. 

Leaning over the radio, letting his eyes rest shut, he listened to another country song come down to an end. "That was Stuck on You on our nighttime radio Country Music. Up next we have a little something requested by a sweet French lady wondering where her Texan hunk is working these days. Here is Are You Lonesome Tonight." It was another request Spy called in. But he sat by the radio and listened patiently.

Maybe Dell heard it. Maybe Dell understood. Maybe Dell would answer back with a coded way to assure him he was safe, and say where he was.

 

***

 

It took Dell a surprisingly long time to start really hearing the radio. There were a few mentions of ‘French’ and ‘Texan’ before the subconscious part of his mind picked up on it and he began to actually listen to the radio.

The next time one of Spy's requests came through Dell flinched to hear it. How could he? After everything he'd done, now he was sending Dell messages? What did he want? What could he possibly hope to gain from taunting Dell like this?

A cold anger filled him up. Dell took his little radio in his gunslinger and with one forceful motion, he crushed it.

 

***

 

One of the few things Pyro continued to do regularly was check for mail. They were hopeful they’d get something from Dell or Spy. They never received anything, but they did happen to see an open package, labelled only for the RED team.

It was full of nail polish; a few colourful bottles.

Pyro grabbed the package and immediately went to their room. They put the little bottles on their bed and looked over the package itself. The writing was familiar. It was Spy's, they were sure of it. Their eyes prickled with tears. 

Spy knew where they were! Spy was sending them a message. They weren't entirely sure what it meant, but suddenly they had hope. Spy knew where they were. They'd see him and Dell again. They just had to wait for Spy to contact them again.

They just had to wait.

 

***

 

Spy was frustrated to never hear from Engineer. He couldn't think of any other way to contact him without being noticed by the Administrator. But all of his frustration dissolved when he made progress with his boxes of nail polish.

Only a few RED bases failed to return them, and he called each one, posing as the Administrator and asking simply, "Is the new team member working well?"

A Medic answered one call. "We don't have anyone new on our team." 

A Heavy answered, "Da," and shut off the phone.

And a Scout answered, "Yeah, he, uh, she? He, I don't know. It's fine. We're fine."

That was it. It was risky to call the bases as the Administrator, and hope she didn’t find out. But he would not give her time to relocate Pyro again. As for Engineer? He still needed to find him, and could only hope that he was safe currently.


	28. Hellfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> one reunion down, one to go

 

 

Pyro's base at the Saw Mill was a dreary place. When it wasn't raining, it was possibly the most beautiful of the locations. But it seemed to always be raining.

When they weren't fighting, the team stayed indoors as much as possible, although the Scout always looked out over the landscape, hoping for clear weather.

He sat up straight one night and said, "There's a car!"

A car was not exciting, but it was different from the lack of change indoors. The Soldier came to look also, and then the Demoman.

"They're coming in fast," one commented.

"Should we get our weapons?"

"Oh please, only an idiot attempts a stealth attack at night with the car's lights on," Spy scoffed.

"Do you think it's another new team member?" the Engineer asked as he turned to look at the Pyro.

Scout hopped up. "Let's go see what it is! Come on, Pyro, maybe they're sending you back to whatever planet you came from!" he jeered.

Pyro did perk up at news of a car, ignoring most of what was said after that. They’d come out to get water when the Scout had spotted the vehicle, but now water was the furthest thing from their mind. They trailed along with part of the team to see who it was. Maybe it would be another man in purple. Maybe they would be sent back to Dell and Spy.

When the sleek speedy car slid to a stop in front of the base, nearly everyone was gathered to meet the guest.

Spy emerged and his eyes swept over the team till finding the Pyro. He stared at them, realizing only now that in uniform he had no way of knowing if the Pyro was his. He stared into the open round eyes of the mask, standing still in the rain and hoping for some response.

Upon seeing Spy, Pyro broke into a run. They threw their arms around him and held him tight. The sounds of confusion and shock from the other mercenaries didn't even register. They were crying behind their mask, but they didn’t care.

Spy caught the smaller but denser mercenary, and he stumbled back. He almost lost his balance and fell in the mud, but he never let go of Pyro.

Pyro, though elated to see Spy, suddenly felt their suspicions catch up with them. They punched him on the arm, then signed rapidly, “ **This wasn’t your fault**?” Part of them didn’t want to know.

Spy massaged his arm and frowned with distaste at the rough treatment. “ _Non! Pas de tout!_ What did the Administrator tell you?”

“ **Nothing! I don’t know why I’m here.** ” Pyro made a soft despairing noise.

Spy reached out to Pyro again, cupping their masked face, “I didn't send you here,” he said clearly. Maybe he was to blame, maybe he gave the Administrator the information she needed to hurt Engineer. But he didn't break them apart. “I love you,” he assured them.

They nodded, watching Spy’s face as he told them just what they’d hoped for. They believed him, even if they had no way of telling if he was lying. They felt like they knew Spy better than that. He wouldn’t have split them up and then come here to bring them back. What kind of sense would that make?  
  
They threw themself at him again in another tight hug. Spy couldn’t be bothered with the rain soaking through his mask and suit. In their fire suit, Pyro might not even notice it.

After everything he’d challenged to be here, with one partner in his arms again, rain was nothing.

When he finally was steady again and had the affection he craved he insisted, "Get in the car. I'll explain everything on the way."

Pyro nodded. They were beyond happy. Spy was here to take them home. They hadn’t been abandoned. They wanted to take off their mask, but they didn’t have anything to cover their injury. They settled on taking off their gloves and touching Spy. It was so good to see him, to touch him, to hear his voice and see the beautiful red it made.

Spy hurried them into the car.

The Medic shouted to them both, "We need a Pyro!"

Pyro ignored him. They'd left their weapons behind in their locker, but they hardly cared. Those were replaceable. This chance to get back to Dell and Spy might not last.

Spy reached into his breast pocket and took out a Pyro mask. He threw it to through the rain to the other team and said dismissively, " _Bonne chance."_

Inside the car, the backseat held a flamethrower. "It isn't the one you often use, so I hope you are still flexible." He winked. "I'm going to need your help."

Pyro tilted their head, but didn't sign anything. They desperately wanted to talk to him, but they knew Spy couldn’t turn to watch their hands while he drove. They'd wanted to talk to someone so badly, for what seemed like so long, and now Spy was here, really here, and they still couldn’t talk to him! It was beyond frustrating, but there was nothing to be done about it

They weren't sure what Spy needed help with, but it sounded like it required fire, and they were perfectly alright with that.

They had so many questions, but they stuffed them all down, just squeezing Spy's thigh instead. They were desperate to hear about Dell, what had happened while they were away, why they had been sent away... but they'd kept their questions in for this long. They could last a little longer.

Spy seemed to know a lot. But he didn't know everything. He asked questions and looked at Pyro briefly for answers. Luckily they could answer these by nodding or shaking their head.

"Did you see Dell before you were sent here?"

No.

"Did you hear from him?"

No.

"Do you know where he is?"

No.

Spy’s leather gloves creaked as he squeezed the wheel in his hands. He took a moment to collect his thoughts and say, "I owe you an apology, Pyro. This was Dell's punishment, not yours. The Administrator finds cruel ways to control people... But we are going to fight fire with fire."

They had no idea what Spy meant when he said Dell was being punished. Why was Dell being punished? Why did she need to control him? Dell was good, he worked hard and he was so helpful.

Pyro perked up at the mention of fire, gesturing to the flame thrower in the back excitedly. For the first time in weeks, they were excited about fire.

" **What are we setting on fire**?" They could no longer contain their questions completely.

Spy grinned and answered, "Anyone who tries to stop us."

It was so good to see Spy, but even better when he responded to their words as though he understood them even without the signs. Maybe he did, or maybe he just anticipated their question. Either way, it delighted them.  
  
Spy drove fast, ripping quickly along the road to the Dust Bowl and the Administrator's office not too far away.

Pyro was thrilled by the speed they were driving. They had only ever driven Dell's truck before and never very fast. This was a lot more exciting.

No one expected Spy and when he arrived, the office employees of TFI watched curiously. When Pyro emerged with their flamethrower, they scattered in a panic. 

Spy pressed a hand lightly on Pyro's back and walked beside them. "Ignore them." He walked with Pyro through the building, and anyone who wanted to stop them quickly disappeared when they saw the flamethrower without ever needing a burst of flame.

Spy stopped at a large armoured door and directed, "Wait here. Don't let her leave, and don't let anyone interrupt us.

They gave Spy a sharp nod at his instructions. They put their back to the wall right next to the door, partially blocking it with their flamethrower.  
  
They were pretty sure it was the Administrator Spy was going to see, and they were certain they could overpower her. They'd only seen her once, but she was an old woman, frail and thin. She probably weighed less than their flamethrower.  
  
Spy opened the door and Elizabeth was there, standing instead of sitting for the first time since they’d met. She had a gun aimed at him.  
  
"I was expecting you," she said.

Outside, Pyro could see the colour of her voice wash over their vision. It was a deep purple, almost black.  
  
"But you weren't expecting I would have help, _non_?" Spy wished he had Engineer with them, but Pyro was terrifying on their own.  
  
"Don't tell me you brought a knife to a gunfight," she answered bitterly, changing the subject.  
  
"I brought more than that." He reached into the breast of his coat and the echo of her gun shook the room and pierced their ears.  
  
The shot rang out, loud inside the office, turning everything pink for a moment. Pyro flinched where they stood at the door, turning just enough to see Spy. He was standing, he was alright. He’d told them to wait and they would… but they were terrified for him.  
  
Spy gasped and gripped his arm. He knew she was dangerous. And she was backed into a corner now, not knowing what Spy had planned. Her warnings to back down would not be gentle. Spy gritted his teeth and breathed through the pain. He reminded himself he could visit the Medic after he returned to his proper base.  
  
He opened up his coat to show the folder neatly tucked inside. He tenderly took the folder out.  
  
"Throw it," she demanded.  
  
Spy tossed it to the ground and let it slide to her feet.  
  
Elizabeth never lowered the gun or looked away as she crouched and collected it. She looked at the first few pages with one hand and then holstered her gun to hold the folder with both hands. "You discovered that shipments of Australium are not accounted for." She chuckled. "Bravo, you found that I'm siphoning Australium from the company. Did you plan blackmail with this? Did you think I would be ashamed?"  
  
Spy smiled through the pain in his arm. Adrenaline was pulsing in him and dampening the agony of the bullet wound. "I found that you're taking more than ever before. You're dying, _non_?"  
  
The Administrator frowned deeply.  
  
It confirmed what he suspected. "Whatever system you are using to run the Australium into your body is old now. It can't reverse the aging anymore. You need the Engineer. He's better than his father and even his grandfather, and without him, you will die." Spy laid it all out clearly.  
  
"I own the Engineer," she hissed.  
  
"That proud Texan boy?" Spy laughed at the thought. " _Non_. And if you try, he will use his engineering to kill you, and then he will fix the mess you made."  
  
"I'm not letting him go," Elizabeth stated, letting herself sit down again.  
  
"No... I expected you would not. Your life depends on him," he answered. "I propose that you send Pyro and I back to our base, with our Engineer."  
  
"And you think I'll comply? I’ve killed Spies like you in the past."  
  
Spy smoothed out his coat, breathing through the burning pain in his arm. "Then I assure you they were not like me."


	29. Cauterized

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medic is a no go

  
Spy drove to his proper base with the same speed he always used. Only having one arm did not slow him. His car's lights were the only illumination in the desert.

Pyro was so happy to see the base in the distance. Though they were exhausted, they were too excited to sleep as Spy drove them back.

"We're home," Spy said to Pyro, with a sigh of relief.

He sped directly to Engineer's garage. The roar of his engine was heard long before he arrived.

He saw the shadow of Engineer coming to investigate the noise. Spy got out of the car and held out his uninjured arm to his partner. " _Mon grand_. Did you get my messages?" He smiled, referring to the country radio.

Pyro felt the same relief as Spy, then a wave of overwhelming happiness to see Dell coming to greet them.

Dell did not look happy.

Pyro saw the impending violence too late, and though they were up and out of the car, they couldn’t reach the two of them in time to stop Dell from punching Spy in the jaw.

"You goddamn snake! You've got some nerve coming here!" Dell's voice was almost a yell, its usual amber turned a vicious yellow in Pyro’s vision.

The punch knocked the slim Frenchman off his feet. From the dirt, he tried to collect himself and fight off the dizziness. He was almost knocked unconscious by the force of it.

Dell didn't even see Pyro until they were right there, kneeling by Spy. "Firebug!" He felt like he'd just had his head spun around twice. Once seeing the traitor, and then seeing his Firebug immediately after.

"You're alright, you're here!"

Pyro put a reassuring hand out for Dell, but didn't rise. Spy had been in so much pain already. To add this... what had happened between these two while Pyro was gone?

"Why did you hit him?" Pyro demanded.

Dell was still so thrown he had no immediate answer.

Spy touched his jaw tenderly when he was sure that was the end of the attack. "I see the Administrator turned us against each other as well." Spy assumed.

But Engineer hadn't needed any prompting to blame a spy.

Dell made as though he might hit Spy again, and Pyro stood, grabbing Dell by the arm and pulling him away. "He's hurt, he saved me, what are you doing?"

Dell growled, "He's the reason you were taken away in the first place, Firebug." He didn't fight back against his friend, but he glowered at Spy.

Pyro didn't believe it. "Spy wouldn't do that," they protested. "I don't know what happened, but Spy came to get me, he brought us back together, he fought the Administrator for us."

"Don't be so naive!" Dell snapped. "This is just a ploy for him to get back in our good books and it ain't gonna work. Just because he might be more useful to the Administrator working on the inside doesn't mean we should just let him back in!"

Pyro knew Dell was upset, but they didn't like what he was saying. They could be a little innocent, but they weren't naive.

Spy struggled to get to his feet gracefully, with one arm injured. "I was sent away because I did not spy on you," he corrected. As he’d feared, that damnable and incredible machine Dell created fucked Spy in more ways than one.

Spy was glad Pyro placed themself between them. It was the only way to make Dell listen rather than fight.

"The BLU Spy found out that my business here was for pleasure, rather than business." Spy slipped one of the crisp photos from his breast pocket. Spy hated the photos and couldn't bring himself to look at them and see how he was caught. But he was afraid to destroy them when he wasn't sure if he would see Dell again.

"I only told the Administrator the bare minimum. As little as possible without suspicion that I was protecting your secrets." He listed off some examples. "Your right hand is mechanical. You are making pet projects with Medic. You are codependent with Pyro."

Pyro took the photo. It was Dell and Spy, half naked together. Dell had the TENS unit attached to his arm and Pyro's heart sank a little. Dell had been keeping his pain a secret from them. They passed the photo to Dell.

He barely glanced at it. "I can't trust anything you tell me," Dell snarled. He couldn't even trust if those tattoos and scars were real. If any of Spy's actions had been real. "I never should have trusted you in the first place." He grabbed Pyro's arm, trying to pull them into the base with him.

Pyro pulled back, digging in their heels. "Spy needs help," they said, firmly. They weren't willing to argue about this.

Pyro hated this, being stuck between the two of them. They loved them both, they'd missed them both desperately, but Dell was being unreasonable. Spy was hurt and needed their help, not to be hurt more. Spy had gotten hurt trying to make sure they all stayed together. They hoped Dell would see that soon.

" **Medic**?" they signed. They took Spy's uninjured arm and let him lean on them.

Spy nodded. The pain was returning after so many hours. Adrenaline could not keep it away forever. "I'll visit the Medic... later." He didn't want to give up on Engineer. He was still so sure he could get through to the man. "I'm not your enemy!" Spy hissed. "Dell, listen to me! I wanted to protect you from that madwoman, and any other Spy she sent to watch you."

"I can't trust anything you've said to me. Pyro is taken away by the Administrator and it just so happens you disappear at that time too? You ran." Dell's expression was cold anger.

Spy leaned against Pyro, certain that he could reason, though he was becoming frustrated also. "Despite all of your PhDs, you are rather stupid sometimes. Now listen to me!"

Pyro groaned. Dell was too stubborn to listen right now, he needed time to change his mind. And Spy needed to see the Medic! They freed their hands just enough to sign, " **Medic. Now** ," before taking Spy and guiding him to the infirmary.

"You're wrong about him, Firebug!" Dell called, his voice strained. This wasn't how he'd hoped they would reunite. He'd hoped Pyro would be on his side, would understand when he told them Spy had betrayed them. He'd hoped they would never see Spy again. Pyro was here, and after only a couple weeks or so of separation, but now they didn’t even want to spend time with him. They were protecting Spy from him.

They'd see. They'd see what Spy was sooner or later. Spy would get tired of Pyro quickly if Firebug couldn't get him back in Dell's good graces. Then they'd understand what had happened.

Spy realized he was not strong enough to redirect the powerful, dense body moving him along. "Yes, yes, I'll go to the Medic," Spy complied. "Please, go back to Engineer. He needs you now."

Pyro shook their head. Spy had been shot, there was no way they were leaving his side.

Spy walked with Pyro to the infirmary, but he was not surprised the lights were off. It was late at night and everyone else seemed to be asleep now.

"We will visit him in the morning. Before anything else," Spy suggested.

Pyro shook their head insistently and guided Spy to Medic’s bedroom. There was no way they were waiting that long. They could hear soft rhythmic sounds through the door, and moans. Pyro hesitated.

The moment he heard the sounds Spy reached out and grabbed Pyro's arm with his good arm. "Pyro, non!" He was certain the Medic wouldn't leave his bed to help him. And he didn't want to interrupt this for no gain.

After a moment of frustration, Pyro finally nodded, letting Spy decide. If he thought he’d be alright till morning, they trusted him. “ **Bed**?” they signed, still trying to support Spy.

Spy nodded. " _Oui, s'il te plaît_." He was exhausted, mentally and emotionally, and also physically from his loss of blood. He was eager to wash and clean the painful wound and see if the damage could wait until morning.

Pyro got Spy back to his room, helping him undress once they got into his bathroom. Spy’s jacket and shirt were ruined. The wound was still hidden by Spy’s cloak, though the amount blood soaking his clothes looked bad to them. Pyro didn’t know much about first aid. They looked to Spy for guidance.

Spy held out his arm to inspect a flawless white patch of skin. With a grunt, he unfastened his watch and the wound appeared with every other mark on his skin.

It wasn't fatal. If he cared for it, he would not go to respawn. He was glad for that, because respawning would put him a far distance away, on the base he had been transferred to.

The wound could definitely wait for the Medic to handle it appropriately in the morning.

Spy took his tie and put it in Pyro's hands, indicating a place on his wounded arm with his other hand. "Tie it here, and tie it tightly."

Pyro nodded, doing as Spy instructed. Their idea of first aid was to go to a Medic, even when they were young, with the Classic team. They couldn’t help the worry they felt for him. Spy was still calm, he seemed completely in control, and that soothed them a little.

Spy grunted quietly, but he nodded to encourage Pyro. He flexed his hand and murmured, "More tightly." He grimaced and then sighed when it was done. "Merci," he said softly. "For the night, this will work well."

He looked a bit relieved after they’d tied his arm up. Pyro hoped it wasn’t too painful anymore.

Spy was light-headed. If he had asked Pyro to do this before they returned to the car, he would be feeling better by now. But he had been so eager to return them both to Dell. Spy was certain, earlier, that warm and doting Engineer would pull them both into his arms and hold them tightly.

Spy tenderly cleaned the blood away as he asked, "Do you think our Engineer will forgive me soon?" He looked to Pyro hopefully, waiting for an assuring sign.

Pyro was a little grateful they were wearing the full mask now; their eyes always gave them away when they doubted something. Dell could be so stubborn and he’d been raised not to trust anyone, but especially not to trust spies. Pyro was sure he’d forgive Spy eventually but they weren’t sure how long he might hold a grudge.

Still, they nodded. Spy needed comfort right now more than anything.

Spy wasn’t sure if he believed them. But he was glad to be reassured.

The Frenchman looked at his arm again after taking away the damp cloth. The flow of blood had stopped, but now he could see how ugly the open wound was.

He knew it wasn't an issue of illness, but if he let himself go to bed like this then lint and hair would stick in it. The Medigun healed skin up nicely but trapped whatever was in the open wound. The idea of such dirt trapped under his skin made his skin crawl. "Pyro, if I may ask one more favour of you?" He weighed his options again and then pushed forward and asked, "Will you cauterize this for me?"

Pyro knew the word ‘cauterize.’ They'd done it before, on themself, just for little cuts. They preferred to take care of a burn rather than a cut; it made sense to them. But Spy had been pretty reticent about playing with fire. This must be to help keep it clean and closed.

They nodded. This was one kind of first aid they actually knew how to do.

Spy moved them to the bedroom for the sake of comfort, if only to sit down and know he could collapse into the sheets when it was done. He’d never used a method like this to mend himself ever since he met Bea. But he knew the process, he knew it hurt, but not so badly as a bullet hole.

Pyro took Spy's knife from him and lit their lighter, holding part of the knife over the fire until it was hot, but not so hot it glowed. They held their fingertips right over the knife, so they could feel the heat radiating off it but without actually touching the metal.

They nodded again, ready.

They wrapped one arm around Spy's shoulders, holding him tight so he couldn't flinch away, then pressed the hot metal over the wound. They knew how quickly hot metal could cause a serious burn, so they tapped it to his skin twice, slowly, lifted to see how it looked, then tapped it again. They knew it hurt, they knew Spy was already in pain, and as soon as they were done they put the knife down and stroked their hand over Spy's chest.

They released him and he sagged a little. " **Should be ok**?" they signed. Spy would know best.

Despite his hyper-vigilance usually, Spy chose to not watch as Pyro heated the flat metal edge of the knife. He didn't want to remind himself of Bea and make this night any worse. But when the metal touched his skin, it wasn't as bad as he expected.

The hot pain was immediate and lingered even when the metal lifted. The heat returned in sharp taps but never hurt too badly. The rigidness left his body and and every touch, even the hand on his chest, felt the same, like a hot tingling burn.

Spy's eyes moved to Pyro but missed what they signed. He was embarrassed to miss it, but explained quickly, "Pardon me, I was distracted." He quickly added, "You didn't hurt me. I'm okay. This is exactly what I needed. I just expected something more painful."

Thoughts of being tortured by Bea were far from his mind. Even when he curiously considered that, the memories were far away. His mind could not wander far from the pleasant stinging warmth on his arm, and the hand on his chest.

Pyro helped Spy undress before he lay back against the pillows. They tucked him in carefully, just up to the cauterized wound.

" **I need my respirator and I want to talk to Dell** ," they signed. **"I won't be long**."

They didn't want to leave Spy alone, but there was no way they were spending a night comforting him with their full mask on, and there was also no way they were revealing their old injury to him tonight.

Spy let Pyro comfort him into bed but certainly noticed they did not remove their own clothing or mask. It didn't surprise him that they needed to leave. "Stay with him, Pyro, he needs you." The corner of his mouth turned up. "I love you, and I missed you dearly. But I am familiar with sleeping alone."

He knew Dell was not.

Pyro shook their head. It had been a hard time of sleeping alone for all three of them. But now Spy needed them more than Dell did.

Dell could stand one more night alone or he could forgive Spy. Either way.


	30. Burnt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the division remains

  
Pyro stroked Spy’s hair off his brow before leaving, making their way down the familiar hall to Dell’s workshop. The password had changed and they were forced to knock to be let in.   
  
Dell turned his attention to the screen showing him the view of whoever was at his door. He was ready to snarl for the visitor to go, but then saw it was Pyro. He hurried to the door and unlocked it quickly to pull his friend in, exclaiming with relief, "You came back!"   
  
Pyro was happy to wrap Dell up in their arms. They’d missed him so badly. They allowed themself a minute just to be held and loved before breaking away.   
  
“I’m not staying the night. Spy’s hurt, I won’t leave him alone.” They went to get some of their clothes and a respirator. “I know you don’t believe me, but he wouldn’t hurt us.”   
  
Dell felt his stomach drop as they pulled away. "Dang it, Pyro! " He thought this argument was over. "We all get hurt every day. He didn't let a little bullet hole slow him down earlier." He followed Pyro to their shared bedroom. He hated the thought of sleeping around the stuffed animals and art without them again. "He doesn't need you, Firebug. I need you!"   
  
“We both need you, Dell,” Pyro sighed. “You could come with me. You could talk to him, you could listen.”   
  
Dell’s stubbornness was the most difficult to navigate for Pyro. They didn’t see it often, the two of them usually agreed on most everything, but when it came out it was like fighting a brick wall. “We couldn’t see Medic, I had to cauterize his shoulder. He got shot talking to the Administrator. To make her move me back here.” Pyro squeezed Dell’s arm. “I missed you so much. I was afraid—” they had to take a slow breath, “I was afraid I’d never see you again.”   
  
Dell considered it. He trusted Pyro deeply and even though they seemed to be naive, he knew he could trust what they saw. Engineer asked, "You saw that? You saw him getting shot, talkin' to that woman?" A part of him hated to even say her title. He hated her so much, to even think of the amount of control she had was hard.   
  
Pyro nodded. “I don’t know why we were split up, but Spy brought me back,” they said. They’d been in the dark for so long. They had a lot of questions still, but they could wait until Spy was better, or until they had more time with Dell.   
  
Dell frowned. He had to trust that Pyro knew what they saw. And he doubted his oldest friend would lie. But it was clear they didn't know everything in the situation. "She sent you away to prove she has control over me and everything around me," Engineer said through gritted teeth. "And Spy, dang it, Firebug, you heard him! He said that he told her we depend on each other, and she used that to hurt me." He gripped Pyro, trying to pull them into his arms again and encourage them to stay close, "Even if he ain't the dirty snake that sent you away just to hurt us, it's his fault that woman thought to do it."   
  
Pyro let Dell hold them for a long moment. It was so hard to push him away when all they'd wanted all week was just this. Even if Spy had given her the idea for this, it wasn't his intention, and it wasn't something Spy had wanted. He'd only tried to keep their secrets safe. And he'd fought to right the wrong too, even if it hadn't been his wrong to right.

"Dell, I can't stay," Pyro told him, gripping him tightly. "I'll be back in the morning."  
  
Engineer blinked away tears. It was like a nightmare. It was everything he feared when he saw the two in bed. Was that when this nightmare started?   
  
Spy knew he had Pyro wrapped around his finger and was able to torture Dell in any way now. "Dang it!" he cursed again, "I will march right in there and put that man through respawn! Give us both some satisfaction: he'll come back healed, and I get to crush his head." Dell curled the gunslinger into a fist.   
  
Pyro could see how upset Dell was. They pulled him down to the bed briefly, still holding him.   
  
They knew he meant what he said, every bit of it, but they also hoped he wouldn't threaten that if respawn weren't possible.   
  
"Dell, please," Pyro's voice was soft. "I'll be with you tomorrow night. I promise." Maybe it would help if Dell knew what Spy had said when they left. "Spy asked me to stay with you tonight, he said you needed me. I know you do. It was hard to be alone that long for both of us. But if I were hurt you wouldn't leave me alone!"   
  
With those words, Dell’s world shattered. He wasn't arguing against Spy's words in Pyro's mind. Pyro wasn't being obedient to Spy's demands.   
  
Dell trusted that Pyro was honest when they said Spy suggested they stay in their room. But it meant that Pyro wanted to stay with Spy. It was their own preference.   
  
He couldn't speak so he simply nodded. Dell stayed in bed and focused on holding himself together until Pyro left. There was no reason to make them feel guilty after saying they wanted to be with Spy.   
  
Dell waited in the dark bedroom until he heard the door lock and knew Pyro was gone. Tears fell freely now and his body shuddered. Pyro was in Spy's bed again. But it was worse than before. Last time, he barely had a moment to process what he saw before his partners were with him and comforting him.   
  
This time, he knew he was going to be alone for the night, joined only by the phantom pain in his arm.   
  


***

 

It was hard to leave Dell. Pulling themself physically out of his arms, and then making themself walk away.   
  
They wanted nothing more than to have Spy and Dell wrapped around themself while they slept. Why did this have to be so complicated? They hated to leave him, but a small part of them was angry with Dell.   
  
How could he think that of Spy? Spy had shown them so much of himself, so much honesty, and Dell thought that he would just betray them after all that?

How could they have thought that of Spy themself?  
  
Even the thought of it twisted Pyro's stomach.   
  
But what if Dell was right? What if they were being naive?   
  
They couldn't really believe that. Spy had come to get them, held them, taken them home to Dell, fought for the three of them to be together again... Spy was the reason Pyro was home.   
  
They undressed once they had closed and locked Spy's door, stripping to just the respirator and wiping the wetness from their eyes before going to bed.   
  
Spy wanted to ask what Dell said. But he watched Pyro wipe their eyes and knew the conversation couldn't have been good.   
  
As they approached, his eyes dropped down to their body and immediately saw they lost weight. Pyro did not have much weight to lose. Their body was dense and strong and shaped by muscles from carrying the flamethrower. More than a week passed, and the thin softening layer of fat was gone. The muscles on their arms and shoulders and legs were defined, and the bones of their ribs and hips were prominent. It was a dramatic difference for such a short time and Spy wondered if they didn't eat at all while they were separated.   
  
" _Ma luciole_ ," he gasped. "What did they do to you? Were you starved?"   
  
He thought of the terrible puréed food Engineer made for Pyro and realized they had nothing to eat. "You starved for a week."   
  
Pyro slid in next to Spy.   
  
They looked down at themself before pulling up the blankets. They shrugged, eyes not meeting Spy's. They hadn't exactly been watching their body in a mirror, but they could see what Spy saw.   
  
It had been a strange time. They hadn't been depressed that way since they'd lost part of their lower jaw, and they'd had a Medic taking care of them then, as well as Dell. It wasn't as though they'd _been_ starved, they just found themself struggling to do anything on their own.   
  
They didn't stick well to meal times without someone to remind them. Food had no taste, so it wasn't something that brought them any pleasure. Maybe if it was, they would have overindulged instead. Food was just so difficult for them. It required preparation and they hadn't wanted to do much of anything.   
  
They didn't know how to say all those things to Spy.   
  
**"I'm alright,"** they signed. **"Everything is good now."** It was a lie, and they didn’t like to lie, but they wanted it to be true.   
The Frenchman brought them into his arms and let his fingers move along Pyro's spine and feel their ribs. He forgot meals often and understood being too busy for something like sleeping or eating. But to wither like this, he was sure Pyro didn't eat at all since they left this base. It was a sign of how depressed they were to be in a strange place and all alone. Spy kissed the uncovered bridge of Pyro's nose.   
  
"I swear, nothing will separate us, after Dell joins us again."   
  
Pyro closed their eyes at the kiss, a little sign of pleasure. They didn’t want to move or separate to sign. Instead they only nodded. They believed Spy. Now they just had to convince Dell.


	31. Combustion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I uploaded an extra chapter since the previous one is so short! This is a long one, though.
> 
> they see Medic, who has an idea, but no bedside manner.

Spy came to the Medic fully dressed. If the medigun in battle could heal a man without requiring that he undress for an examination, he could have the same privacy now.   
  
Medic was too curious to not bother Spy. "I'm not saying that I want to shoot you. If I did, I would, _verstehen Sie_? But oh! The satisfaction! I'm sure whoever did shoot you did enjoy it a lot."   
  
Spy bit out, "Where is your bedside manner?"   
  
Medic laughed and looked to Pyro, "You understand."   
  
Pyro shrugged in a gesture of confusion. They did not understand. Why would it be satisfying to shoot Spy? Did Medic not like Spy? Medic was a strange man and they didn't always get what he was saying. Also, they were currently distracted by trying to approach the little white and blood-stained dove sitting on the counter. They carefully held out a hand and the bold bird pecked at their glove. His pretty coos were a shiny purple, surrounding him in bubbles of colour.   
  
Medic powered down the medigun when he was satisfied it was done. "Is that better? You really should let me look."   
  
Spy adjusted his tie and smoothed his suit. "It's fine."

Pyro also wished they could see Spy’s injury. Watching it heal would make them feel better. Still, Spy seemed to be happy and he knew best if he was alright. They resisted running their gloved hand over his wounded shoulder.

Medic unfastened the medigun from the crane as he looked at the time till battle. "That is all?"   
  
Spy considered it and then looked to Pyro. He wondered if it would offend them to speak for them. "Actually... Pyro is rather starved. Can the medigun fix that?"   
  
"Unfortunately, no," Medic said. "But it doesn't surprise me that you are malnourished! My friend, it must be difficult to eat." He raised a brow to Pyro.   
  
Spy revealed that they hadn’t been eating and they grumbled. They didn’t need Medic fussing over them. They just needed to eat. It was bad enough that Dell was going to be upset with them. Medic’s question merited a shrug, and they signed to Spy, **“I will eat better,”** they promised. **“It’s hard to make food.”**   
  
"They say..." Spy wondered if he understood. "They don't like to cook." He tilted his head. Most of the mercenaries did not cook. There was always some basic form of food for those who didn't care.

It was more than not wanting to cook. It was that the food had to be pureed. And they had also not wanted to spend much time with their new team. Fighting for space in the kitchen to do something they hated when they got no pleasure from it had been too much.   
  
"Of course! You require something special!" Medic put his medigun back into the rig it hung from. Battle was not far away from starting. But it wasn't the first time he neglected to go to the battlefield because his experiments were too exciting.   
  
Spy furrowed his brows curiously. Medic knew more about Pyro than he did.   
  
"I can rebuild your face! It will be stronger than ever before!" He went to a drawer of news magazine covers. Every single cover was some terrible forged photographs of something unrealistic.   
  
Spy raised a brow as he saw one page flutter to the ground: "Woman gives birth to President's bastard child: super human with eight legs and eight eyes!!!"   
  
Medic presented a page to Pyro featuring a man with a jaw crafted from metal. " _Bitte, bitte_ _meine Freunde_. Let me do this one little experiment on you?"  
  
Pyro looked through the magazine covers with fascination. They were funny, though it was clear Spy thought they were ridiculous. They weren't real, but Pyro would have read them anyway.   
  
The picture Medic showed them was interesting. They'd never imagined they could have a prosthetic.   
  
**"Can I ask Dell? I don't know if it's possible."** Dell would know if it were feasible. And he'd probably want to help build it too. **"He would want to help."** **  
**  
"We're going to ask Engineer," Spy said while peering over their shoulder to study the image.

Medic exclaimed, "Engineer can help! I'll call him to join us now!" He shuffled the covers off of his desk to reach the speaker system.   
  
Spy looked at Pyro. "Are you sure? I wouldn't let someone so fanatical near me, especially with these ‘news’ clippings as his inspiration."   
  
Medic wasn't concerned about Spy's caution. "Engineer! Report to the infirmary at once. Your expertise is required. _Danke_."

 **"If Dell is here it should be safe,"** Pyro asked Spy. **"But what about battle?"**   
  
Spy looked at the time. "He must be loading out for battle. You can't keep so much of the team here for your experiments!"   
  
Medic waved it off. "They won't mind." ****  
  
Pyro hesitated. Hopefully Dell and Spy could be here together and Dell wouldn't want to fight.   
  
Dell was getting ready for battle, but he assumed if Medic needed him it was for something important. And he couldn't help but notice how Pyro and Spy weren't here, getting ready. Though, it was possible Spy was just waiting invisibly, he thought bitterly.   
  
He made his way to the infirmary. "What's going on here?"   
  
All three of them were together, and Medic was showing something to Pyro and Spy. A picture of a man with a metal jaw.

Dell had thought of a prosthetic for Pyro before, but there was no way to attach it without some kind of surgery. And they had been so sensitive about the scars, a prosthetic would only reveal more of them. Not only that, but they had needed so much time to heal, not only physically but emotionally. He’d never been able to figure out how to bring it up.

Pyro was pleased to see that Dell had come, and that he wasn't immediately trying to punch Spy this time. So far he just seemed to be ignoring him, after a quick glare in his direction. "Medic said he could make me a jaw, like this," they tapped the magazine. "Could it work?"   
  
Dell came closer, studying the magazine. "This is fake, you do know that," Dell told the Medic. "I mean, it could work for Firebug, if we could figure out a way to attach it in a way that would allow movement, but the jaw in this picture ain't real."   
  
Spy frowned, feeling his heart sink a little under Dell's glare. He missed the man and wondered if Engineer could truly forget all their tender feelings and learn to hate him so quickly.   
  
Medic scoffed. "Since when is science depending on what is real?"   
  
Medic cupped Pyro's head in his hands and explained to Dell, "Everyone has a jaw. No matter if your face is bone, or metal, or if your heart is human or baboon. To the human body, it's hopping like jumping." He didn't wait for the Americans to try to understand whatever German saying he was using.   
  
Pyro squirmed under Medic’s hands. It seemed like they’d need to take off their mask soon and they weren’t sure they wanted Spy to see that.   
  
Dell sighed through his nose. It seemed like half of what Medic had just said was nonsense, but he was willing to play along. “I’d thought of it before, but they’d need surgery to attach a prosthetic. They still have a lot of their jawbone, I’m sure we could attach it there. Still, we’d have to remove some scar tissue if we want them to be able to move it properly.”   
  
Medic was planning this out as Dell spoke. "I have a bone saw. Scar tissue is no problem!" He stepped out of Pyro's face to go to his cabinet of bizarre little things.   
  
Spy was no longer in the room. Pyro glanced about in surprise; it felt like he had just disappeared. Though they were a little relieved, they also felt bad that they hadn’t said goodbye.   
  
"What do you say we use for attaching the jaw?" Medic asked as he moved things in the cabinet as if looking for the right option to jump out. The tape wrapped around his Medigun seemed more frightening now.   
  
Dell frowned. “I think we ought to go to battle and think this over. We can figure this out tonight.”   
  
Pyro nodded.   
  
"Tonight?! Can you wait that long?" Medic couldn't wait to get started. But he sighed and took his medigun from the rig again. "Tja. Today, doctor assisted homicide. Tonight, we make medical history."   
  
  
***   
  
After battle, and a bath in Spy’s private bathroom, Pyro went to Dell’s workshop, letting themself in. They were nervous about the procedure with Medic.   
  
Dell made himself busy drawing plans for a metal jaw. Metal seemed like the wrong material for a prosthetic on the face, but it was the best medium for his craft. He was glad to be busy, and to truly have a project that needed to be done. If he didn't finish this soon, Medic might move forward in the experiment with whatever he found in his infirmary.   
  
Engineer was almost busy enough to forget about Spy completely. Except that if Pyro wasn't here with him, he was certain they were away with Spy.   
  
When the door opened, Engineer dropped his pencil and came to Pyro. "How are you feeling, Firebug? Excited? Nervous? You didn't eat anything today, right?" Dell looked concerned. He loved Southern comfort food and hated to miss a meal, but knew it was important to not eat before surgery. He didn't know how long Pyro had gone without food by this point. Although Engineer brought Pyro their food, he knew they could find yoghurt, juice, or soup. It didn't occur to the Texan that his companion had been too sorrowful to seek out food at all when they were separated.   
  
Pyro took off their mask, not bothering to replace it with the respirator right now. Dell might need to see their face. They pressed their forehead to Dell's affectionately. They'd missed him sorely and it was nice to be able to touch him again.   
  
They nodded, "Both. If it goes wrong, I can just respawn, but I'm still nervous. Do you think it'll hurt?" They had a fairly high tolerance for pain, but their jaw was sensitive, the scar tissue easily irritated.   
  
They hadn't eaten. They'd been busy with Spy, and then Medic had kept them occupied until battle, and then they'd needed to bathe... they were still off their routine. "Haven't eaten yet," they confirmed.   
  
Dell hugged Pyro closely. He didn't need to read their hands to understand Pyro's words, so he invited their hands to hold him. "I know it ain't how he does things normally, but maybe we can put you under before we get started." He rubbed a hand on their back. "You want to see what I designed? Figures that you should tell me what you think. It will be your new face."   
  
They took a moment just to press into Dell, closing their eyes. They'd gotten so used to going without the respirator that being without now bothered them a little less. It was nothing Dell hadn't seen before, anyway.   
  
Pyro nodded, following Dell to his worktable to see his designs. "Will I wear it under my mask? I don't know if it will fit."   
  
Dell was more nervous than he expected. He always impressed people with his creations. But this was so much more important.   
  
He needed Pyro to approve.   
  
"We can get you a new mask," Dell suggested.   
  
He smoothed his hands over the blueprint to show the design. Books were spread out to carefully study every detail of this piece. He started moving his finger along it, tracing the outline. "We're looking at a shape like this. Not too different than your face. These teeth will line up with yours. If we do this right, you won't need your respirator." He looked up and tapped Pyro's nose, "So we can see more of that cute Firebug face again."   
  
Pyro laughed. They were excited, maybe even more than they were nervous. The jaw looked perfect and they wanted to see it on themself. They wanted this, and Dell had designed something beautiful for them.   
  
It would be nice to have a new mask, but not quite as nice as having a new jaw.   
  
Though they were excited about the procedure and the potential of a prosthetic, they were still worried about Spy and Dell. They wanted to hold Dell, talk to him about what had happened and try to convince him that Spy wouldn’t ever hurt them.   
  
But maybe now wasn’t the time. Instead they murmured, “Love you.”   
  
Engineer beamed. "Aw heck. You know I love you too." He grinned and looked back at his plans. "You want to grab some metal and we can start building this thing?"   
  
They nodded, resolutely. Working together, it wouldn’t take them long.

  
  
***   


Engineer and Pyro went to see Medic, and for once, Medic had the decency to actually put his patient under, so they didn't have to be awake for the procedure. Pyro kept their eyes open as long as possible while the drugs took effect, but eventually they succumbed to sleep.

They felt like they only blinked, maybe napped briefly, but when they woke hours later, they felt tired and sore. It took them some time to wake up enough to remember what had happened. They immediately tried to sit up and their hands went to their jaw.

Dell tried to get them to lay back down, looking at them with a little smile; half concerned, half excited. "Slow down, Firebug, take your time."

Pyro carefully worked their fingers around their new prosthetic. Their face was sore and it hurt a little to touch it, but they felt they needed to. It was metal, smooth and cool under their fingers, but it was lightweight. The metal teeth lined up with theirs and it aligned with the skin under their chin perfectly. It felt like it was a part of them. They looked up at Dell and Medic, excitedly.

They were a little afraid to say anything at first. Instead they slowly opened and closed their lower jaw, before carefully enunciating a few words. It came out garbled, even by Pyro's standards, and their brows came together with frustration. They'd have to relearn how to speak, again.

They signed instead. **"It fits well."**

Medic hurried to Pyro from the first sign of movement. "Ah, you're awake! How do you feel?" When the jaw moved, Medic was overcome with pride and swooned, " _Wunderschön_! This is my best work yet!" He turned his head sharp to Engineer after Pyro signed. "What is that?"

“They said it fits good,” Dell said. “You struggling to talk, darlin’?”

Pyro nodded. **“I’ll get better,”** they signed, optimistically. It was just new, that was all.

“It’ll get easier.” Dell nodded. “It looks good on you.”

Pyro kept touching the prosthetic, curiously. They made the sign for mirror and Dell passed them a little hand mirror he’d thought to grab earlier. Pyro tilted their head back and forth, inspecting their new jaw. Their eyes lit up. **“Pretty,”** they signed. It hid many of their scars, though some still showed above and below the prosthetic, white and pink and puffy.

Engineer stopped Medic from starting some other experiments in Pyro's body while they were asleep. But to see this one experiment in motion was enough to make him forget about his plan to incubate some dove eggs inside of Pyro.

Medic saw the happiness in Pyro's eyes and encouraged them, "Smile!"

Pyro struggled to figure out if they could work their facial muscles in a way that would make it look like they were smiling. It didn't seem to work. They could bare their teeth, but it didn't look very friendly. It hurt to try and turn up the corners of their mouth, it just didn't work the same anymore.

Medic frowned and scratched his chin. "Hm, well... Your eyes are expressive. That should assure anyone that you are friendly."

 **"Do you think I should stop wearing my mask around the team?"** they asked Dell.

"That's up to you." Dell gave them a smile. "But if you're ready, I think it could be good to let them see your face."

They wanted to ask if Dell thought Spy would like it, but they knew Spy was a tender subject right now. They were a little nervous about his reaction. They really liked it, but what if it was too strange for Spy?

The opportunity to show Medic's work to others was the best addition to a successful procedure. He was also sure that if the whole team saw this and approved, it was more likely Heavy would allow Medic to do this to him. Medic was too busy with his thoughts to notice the change in Pyro's expression.

But Engineer certainly noticed and asked, "Is everything all right? It looks like you’re thinking something. It doesn't hurt, right?"

Pyro shook their head. It did ache, a little, but not enough to really bother them, and they expected it to hurt until they adjusted. They weren't sure what to say to Dell. They didn't like to lie. They signed, but the signs were small, as though quiet. **"I hope Spy likes it,"** they admitted. It might not be important to Dell anymore, but it was to them.

Engineer's expression was immediately conflicted. He thought very badly of Spy still. The ‘knife’ gesture in his name was painfully appropriate after the rogue backstabbed him. But if he said anything bad about Spy now, it would only hurt Pyro's feelings. Finally he found an answer. "Everyone will like it. Machinery like this is a dang work of art." He stroked his thumb along the jawline and appreciated the cool metal. The answer seemed obvious, and it made a pit in his stomach. "You're going to take off your mask for Spy?"

Pyro looked satisfied with Dell's answer, though they could tell he was trying to avoid talking about Spy. They just wanted Dell to forgive Spy. It seemed like it should be easy. Spy didn't do anything, after all. But maybe that was why it was so hard to forgive. Every wrong that was done was in Engineer's head. How could he forgive that when Spy had no chance to prove himself innocent, or even to talk to Dell at this point?

They nodded. They wanted to show Spy. Even if it did make them nervous. Now Spy would know, really know, what had happened to their face, and what was missing. But at least now he wouldn't have to see the ugly old wound and Pyro didn't have to wear their respirator, which felt clunky compared to the sleek prosthetic.

They glanced at Medic. He was not paying attention, nor could he read sign. **"I know you're mad, but he didn't do anything wrong."**

Medic almost looked like a villain from James Bond. He sat in a little rolling seat outside of the conversation, holding a dove in his arms and petting her back affectionately. All this while he watched Pyro very closely on the operating table.

Engineer gritted his teeth. If he spoke, it would be too loud.

 **"You're being too forgiving. We trusted him in our bed, and now the Administrator knows whatever she wants to know."** Wasn't Pyro afraid of what the Administrator knew, if she decided to hurt them?

 **"Even if he did something stupid, he didn't want to hurt us,"** Pyro argued.

Spy had told her that Dell and Pyro were codependent, but it would be so easy to learn that from any of their teammates. Their relationship was hardly hidden.

 **"I know you're mad,"** they repeated. **"But promise me you'll talk to him when you're a little less mad?"**

Maybe in front of Medic was the wrong place to be having this conversation, but Pyro had already brought Spy up and it was easier to continue now than try to bring him up again later.

Engineer opened his mouth to protest that he wasn't mad. But if he was honest with himself, he was hurt, and it embarrassed him. He preferred Spy think he was mad, and not know how it wounded him to be betrayed by his lover.

He signed, nodding, **"Ok, ok. I'll talk to him** **—** **when I'm less mad."** But he was sure it would be a long time until he was less mad.

Pyro's eyes smiled. At least that was still familiar, compared to the new jaw. **"Thanks."**

They turned to Medic and repeated the sign, before looking back to Dell, to see if they were leaving. They didn't mind the Medic, but they didn't really understand him either.

Dell translated their sign for Medic, then offered a hand to help Pyro down from the table. "Who are we seeing first, Firebug? Spy?" Medic stood up and released his dove and Dell assured him, "We're gonna do this by ourselves Doc. Don't worry, if anyone wants a metal jaw, I'm sending them straight to you."

Pyro nodded. They were surprised Dell was going to come with them to see Spy, but glad. Maybe this was an opportunity to help them patch things up. They waved goodbye to Medic and headed down the hall to Spy's smoking room, sure that would be where they'd find him.


	32. Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some arguing and a first kiss

Spy greeted the knock on the door the same as he greeted anyone wanting to come into his personal space. "Go away."

Engineer stopped himself from sighing heavily. He knew Pyro was nervous and to groan now would only make them more nervous. "Spy, open the door."

Spy didn't answer. He hastily tidied up and stopped in front of the mirror to be sure his hair was tucked into his mask, his tie was straight, and his suit was tidy. He opened the door with a rehearsed message for Engineer, but the words stopped when he saw Pyro's face.

Spy's gaze moved over them in an expression of intrigue for a full second before he said, " _Mon dieu!"_ It wasn't enough, but what else could he say? The Pyro was finally fully unmasked. Spy had guessed a little bit at what was under the respirator. He imagined their lips, and maybe teeth, were badly damaged from an explosion. But it was now clear that Pyro lacked part of their jaw. Or they had, before receiving this metal piece.

Spy understood now. Pyro's respirator wasn't a stubborn need for privacy. Or some vain pride, hiding their scars. With no complete jaw to close their mouth or hold their tongue, they needed the tight, slim masks they always kept on hand.

As the silence lingered, Engineer became tenser. He was ready to step in if Spy said anything hurtful. But he could guess Spy never would. Charming snake.

Spy nodded in approval. "You look exquisite, _ma luciole._ I cannot imagine you with any other face, now."

Pyro waited with their heart racing as Spy stared, clearly a little shocked to see the extent of the accident's consequences. His words nearly brought tears to their eyes and they stepped into him, wrapping an arm around him. They hadn't felt exposed in the hallway, on their way here, but now, embracing Spy, suddenly they did.

 **"Can we come in?"** They invited Dell almost without thought. It would be nicer to talk in Spy's room, away from any prying eyes that might interrupt them. And surely, seeing their teammate unmasked for the first time, anyone who saw them would interrupt.

Maybe this would be the day Dell forgave Spy.

Spy opened the door further with one hand. " _Bien sûr._ Come in, please!" The other hand held Pyro tightly. "Tell me everything. I didn't know you were even planning to make something like this!" Spy leaned his head back to examine the gleaming new piece.

Dell scoffed, "We got one thing past you without you spying on my notes?"

Spy frowned, chest sinking. He’d hoped Dell came because he wanted to start repairing this division. "Dell..." Spy started. "I'm not spying on you."

Engineer put up his hand and shook his head. "Hold on now, I'm here to support Pyro. Not argue with you."

Pyro had started to sign about the prosthetic when Dell made his comment about spying. Their hands stilled and their expression changed to unhappiness. They felt drained, worn out from having what should have been a happy reunion turn into an uncomfortable fight. Even before this emotional toll, they had been tired.

Spy's shoulders sank and he looked to Pyro. He knew Pyro planned to talk to Dell, but clearly nothing came from it. "He won't listen to you either?"

As much as Dell said he was here to support them, he had started that argument. He couldn't see past the possibility that Spy had betrayed them.

 **"No, he won't listen."** They came out with the truth, as they saw it. **"He's hurt and scared to let it happen again."**

Dell usually liked their blunt honesty, but they weren't sure he would when they were being so honest about how he felt about Spy. Dell had never been in a relationship like this before. Every lover he'd had before had been casual. He'd never said he'd loved any of them, and many of them were just interested in experimenting with his machines. It made sense to Pyro that Dell was hurt. He'd never had this kind of attachment to someone before, and it was with a _spy,_ someone he'd been raised not to trust. It seemed that even an imagined betrayal would crush Dell, would leave him hurt and angry and not ready to trust again. It would take more time than they'd hoped to get Dell through this.

Dell gasped, "Firebug!" as they signed. He felt vulnerable enough with Spy. He didn't want his feelings out in the open. But one cannot talk over sign language, so Pyro said what they wanted, uninterrupted. Engineer looked to Spy, hardening his nerves against the slimy smirk he expected.

But instead, Spy sighed, "I'm sorry." Although it wasn't addressed it was an apology for Dell's hurt, and an apology that Pyro was still in the middle of this.

Pyro nodded. They were stuck in an uncomfortable position, but though they felt Dell was in the wrong, they could understand why he was acting the way he was. They knew him better than anyone. They could practically feel the hurt in him. **"Sorry, Dell,"** they signed. They did feel a little bad, but they felt if Spy knew what was going on it would help. **"If we're honest it will help."**

Dell didn't truly agree. Honesty helped if they wanted to smooth out their disagreements. But Engineer was stubborn, and he wasn’t sure that was what he wanted.

Spy assured him, "Things are different now. I am no longer informing the Administrator of anything you do."

Engineer pressed for specifics. "Either of us?"

Spy nodded and confirmed, "I'm not informing on you, or Pyro."

Engineer looked at Pyro. He wondered if they believed him. or if it mattered to them at all.

 **"Why would Spy show us so much of himself if he was just spying on us?"** Pyro pressed.

They had none of the paranoid thoughts that everything Spy had shown them had been a lie. They felt very connected to Spy through their mutual removing of masks and disguises, their shared fears of revealing themselves. Pyro would never reveal a lie, so Spy wouldn't either, in their mind.

Engineer put up his hands to respond, but didn't have an answer. At a loss, he looked to Spy.

The Frenchman asked, "Will nothing prove that I'm not your enemy?" With both mercenaries looking at him, he suddenly felt almost cornered.

Engineer studied the face of the man he knew so well, or possibly not at all. It had flattered Dell when the Frenchman worked so hard to charm him and Pyro. It flattered him when Spy came to his door so often as a lover seeking a place in his bed. It seemed expected that Spy would come back and work so hard to win him back. But from Spy's defeated tone, Dell realized the Frenchman might simply let him go if he pushed him away enough.

The idea of being alone now was even worse.

Dell lowered his head and muttered, "I don't know. But... you'll figure it out." He brushed past them and walked out the door.

Pyro watched Dell go with a defeated expression. **"Sorry,"** they signed. **"I think he will change his mind. It just takes time for him."**

So far they hadn't tried to speak along with any of their signs. They wanted to practice their speech alone for awhile, instead of mangling it in front of Spy or Dell. As excited as they were about their new prosthetic, they didn't like having to relearn how to speak once again. Though this time, they thought it would be far easier.

Pyro held out their gloveless hand for Spy's, sympathetically. They knew—they _knew_ —that Dell would eventually come around. But they also knew how stubborn he could be and they were starting to think it might be a long month or so.

They could see this weighed on Spy. Being distrusted as a Spy was average, but to find your lover doesn't trust you anymore, that had to be much harder.

Spy sighed, "Don't let me make a fool of myself if he never will forgive me." His gloved hand took Pyro's and squeezed. His head tilted as he considered the other's face again. "I hope I see more of this face." Gloved fingertips on his other hand explored the smooth contour from their chin to ear.

Pyro shook their head. **“I wouldn’t.”** They laughed, happy that Spy seemed so pleased with their new prosthetic. **“I love you,”** they signed, shyly. They hadn’t said it before now.

Spy beamed and his concerns seemed to disappear. He missed Dell, and a part of his thoughts were always with the Texan. But he never failed to give a lover all of his attention. He purred, " _Je t'aime_ ," leaning very close to almost kiss. His breath touched Pyro's lip as he spoke but he waited to let his partner close the very small distance.

Pyro was happy to close the distance, gently. They were very aware of the hard metal of their prosthetic. They couldn’t reciprocate the kiss the way they would have liked, but this was far closer than they ever thought they’d come to a real kiss. Their eyes closed with happiness and they brought a hand up to cradle Spy’s face.

The contrast of the soft upper lip and cold, rigid metal jaw was jarring but thrilling. It was satisfying to press his lips to his partner’s, and for them to return the gesture. His arms wrapped around Pyro's body and pulled them near and encouraged them to stay in the soft chaste kiss.

  


(art by Wireskull)

 

The kiss was everything they wanted. It was sweet and gentle and Pyro felt warm and full of affection.  

When the metal that touched Spy's lip was almost warm from contact, he parted the kiss and touched the tip of his nose to Pyro's. "I wanted to kiss you for so long... All this time, was the mask because you were afraid of how I might respond to your scars?"

Nose to nose with Spy, they nodded. They’d seen Spy’s scars but he was so beautiful. _Their_ scar was disfiguring. They hated it.

Spy laughed at himself. "I thought you didn't trust me to know. I thought it was a secret." It was a relief to know Pyro didn't keep that final barrier between them because he was a spy. But the other reason wasn't much better. It meant that Pyro was self conscious and feared rejection all this time.

"Your scars would not scare me away, Pyro. I promise you."

They pressed into Spy for another kiss, tenderly. Spy’s words made their heart tighten and they couldn’t help the overflow of affection. For just a moment, the trouble between Dell and Spy was forgotten.

  



	33. Wildfire

The two allowed themselves a long time to explore each other. Spy eventually brought them to the couch, to sit with Pyro and kiss their jawline with his lips. A hand resting on Pyro's knee slid along their thigh and then he stopped himself. "Dell should be here with us. It doesn't seem right that he isn't."

Pyro had been happily getting into the kissing and Spy's hand up their thigh had been an exciting turn. But his reason for stopping only got agreement from them. **"I know,"** they signed. **"I just want things to be better."**

Dell had asked Spy to prove that he was innocent, but how could he? What could he do to gain more of Dell's trust after having revealed so many of his secrets already? Pyro puzzled over that, leaning their head on Spy's shoulder, one hand rubbing his back.

Spy rested his chin on their head., "There is no reason to worry," he assured them, despite his own worries. "If I won his heart one time, I can win it again." The challenge this time was that he already had Dell's heart, and he hurt it. "The moment I decide what I can do to prove that he has me, heart and soul and loyalty, I will do it immediately. And we can put this ugliness behind us."

 **"Just don't give up, please** **.** **"** They huffed out a small sigh. **"You could tell him your name?"** Pyro suggested, after a moment of thought. Dell would like that, having a name besides Spy to call him. And it would show more trust and openness, which Dell valued. As long as Dell trusted that it was Spy's real name, that was.

It occurred to them that they hadn't told Spy _their_ name yet. But that came with a strange story.

Spy repeated out loud, unable to believe the suggestion, "My name? You want me to tell him my name?" He shook his head. Spy thought he was foolish when he let his feelings for Engineer and Pyro stop him from following orders and spying properly. But to let his feelings reveal his identity! No spies were so foolish to make that mistake. "If I gave him my name, and he is angry at me still, he could ruin me," Spy explained.

Pyro’s brows drew together. That was true. Dell could ruin Spy with enough information. But they didn’t think Dell was that kind of person.

 **“I don’t think he’d do that. Even if he’s upset. But I wouldn’t let him. I wouldn’t. But it’s your decision.”** Pyro squeezed Spy’s hand. **“I don’t mind if you want to keep it a secret.”**

Spy sighed at Pyro's innocent nature. "It isn't a secret from you because I think we aren't on a first name relationship." He chuckled, "However, I do notice I don't know your name." Spy doubted it was due to hiding, however. Unless Pyro was so unfortunate to be named the same as the Classic Pyro.

“I don’t mind secrets.” They shrugged. They tended towards complete honesty when it came to what they said, but they understood having secrets and not feeling able to share.

They began to sign slower, with a sigh. There was a lot to say and though Spy was getting very quick with sign language, they wanted to make sure he didn’t miss anything.

 **“I wasn’t given a name for awhile, I was born on the C-O-N-A-G-H-E-R ranch, so I didn’t have a birth certificate. Bea,”** they used her personal sign, B wavering up like the sign for fire, **“didn’t name me at first. When she finally did, she chose a boy name. No one at the ranch wanted to use the name. They’d started calling me Firebug when I was born and it stuck.”**

They shrugged. **“My name is A-S-H-E-R,”** they spelled it out. They considered the signs for Firebug their personal sign.

 

 

They’d never given anyone that story before. Even just explaining it was strange.

Spy was far more interested in talking about Pyro's name than his. He watched with intrigue. Often, when others spoke and he listened, he occupied himself with a cigarette. But for sign language, he found himself forgetting his cigarette in an ashtray more often to keep his hands and expression available.

Pyro had so much in common with Dell, by being a child on the Conagher ranch and raised with the same parents. And yet, stories like this also made it very apparent that Pyro was very different.

Spy finally retrieved his cigarette, "I had no idea your name was so complicated." He meditated with it between this lips and then retired it again to sign, **"A-S-H-E-R,"** he repeated, "I'm not surprised you use the name given to you by the Conagher family. I suppose ‘Firebug’ looks a much prettier thing in your mind, no?"

They nodded. Though really, it wasn't only because they thought Firebug was a cute name. They connected with it far more. They'd grown up being called it, and even though they'd get called Asher once in awhile, especially later, Dell always called them Firebug.

 **"I like it better. And it isn't for a boy or a girl either."** That was important too, though they couldn't exactly explain why.

Spy was not sure if Firebug was a name for a person at all, but it didn't matter. He knew Pyro was complex. "Does it bother you to not know my name?" Spy doubted it bothered them. Pyro had a sign for Spy—S-Knife—when signing. For Pyro's conversation, they had a name for him.

Shaking their head, Pyro reached out to touch Spy briefly before taking their hand back to sign, **“I don’t mind.”**

Names weren’t very important to Pyro. As long as they had something to call Spy, they were happy. They didn’t like their own name. Maybe Spy didn’t like his name either. Or maybe it was a secret for another reason, but everyone had secrets.

Even Dell.

They remembered the picture of Dell and Spy with the TENS unit and knew that Dell had been keeping his phantom pain a secret from them. They understood it. They knew why he did it. He didn’t want them to worry, or feel guilty. But Dell was so honest, it hurt a little to know he was lying to them. Even if it was just to protect them.

Pyro's expressive eyes showed their feelings, even when they didn't want to. Spy's hand cupped their face. Pyro's face fit much better in the slim hand now, a jaw better matching human anatomy. "Our stress is starting to wear you down. Let me take care of you first, and then I can talk to Dell."

“ **He might need some time to cool off** ,” Pyro told him. Dell was slow to anger but once it was there, it took a long time to leave. “ **Let’s go talk to him together** **—** **maybe it will help**.”

They leaned into Spy’s hand appreciatively.

Spy wanted to spend the night pressed close to Pyro and pressing his lips to the cool material of their jawline. But he knew Dell must want to have his companion and know Pyro was well after their operation. Spy withdrew his hand, " _Bien sûr._ If it doesn't help me, it will help him feel better."

They just hoped that Dell's anger towards Spy wouldn't start to be directed at them too. They'd never been in this position before. They weren't sure how Dell would take to them insisting that he was in the wrong. Normally one of them would concede on a point when they argued, but it was difficult here. It was about emotions and a relationship, it was complicated.

Pyro and Spy left and went to see Dell. Pyro was pleased with their new jaw, but still a little too tired to really want to show the team. The hallway was quiet and they made it to Dell's workshop without running into anyone.

Thankfully, Dell had given them the new code and they didn't have to knock again. They were glad to be back in the workshop. Though they loved Spy's room, it wasn't their space the way the workshop was. This was closer to being home than anywhere else in the world right now.


	34. Singed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Engineer has an important conversation with the culprit at the root of this mess. He's finally ready to talk, and more importantly; listen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is such a fun project. The people who comment and share their thoughts with us bring us so much motivation and inspiration.
> 
> If you like to comment, I love to know what you think will happen next, or what you hope will happen next. The story is complete, so your comment cannot change the direction of the events, but I love to see my readers are as clever as I think I am.
> 
> \- Mister Stalker; N
> 
> p.s. All of the names i recognise from Tumblr, before the great purge, are meaningful to me. I am glad to see you in the community still.

A knock interrupted Dell's silence. The radio was broken, Pyro was away, and Spy knew he was not welcome; the garage was always a little bit too quiet now. The knock repeated. The security screen showed the unmistakable slim image of the Spy, checking his watch while he waited.

Truly persistent, he was preparing to knock again.

Dell took a slow breath, trying to calm the seething anger that was just below the surface. Spy wanted to talk, then they'd talk. Maybe he finally had something convincing to say. Maybe he finally had some proof. Somehow Spy appearing made him hope that he could prove himself innocent, and he hated it.

He hated hoping that Spy wasn't the reason Pyro and him had been apart for a week! To be honest with himself, that was part of why he was so angry. Because he really did care for Spy and he hated hoping that things could go back the way they had been. With a cold scowl, he opened the door.

Spy straightened his tie and raised his brow, "Aren't you going to invite me in?" He closed the distance between them. His gloved hand pressed on Dell's chest to push him a few steps back. The hand slid up Dell's body and cradled the back of his neck, turning them so that Spy now walked backwards into the garage and coaxed Dell to follow. "I'm afraid I cannot apologize enough for what I did. But, I think I can convince you to forgive me. If you let me 'apologize' in my own way." He smirked devilishly.

One hand stroked softly on the back of Engineer's neck while the other hand twitched excitedly on a knife Spy held behind his own back. He needed to wait. He knew the moment he attacked, the RED disguise would disappear. If this BLU wanted to attack the Engineer on his base with his machines, he needed to make the attack fatal.

Despite the danger, he was excited by it all. It absolutely tickled the BLU. One night of espionage ruined his counterpart Spy, the enemy Engineer, and the Pyro. And somehow Engineer hated his own Spy for the mess! The Blu Spy could not resist coming here again to twist his knife.

Dell frowned, the hairs on the back of his neck and on his arms standing up. This felt wrong. Spy had been so hesitant with him, so withdrawn and sad. This was so sudden and off. Maybe it was because Pyro wasn't there, but that would hardly make a difference. It wasn't as though Pyro hadn't seen them having sex, hadn't had sex with them.

"I'm surprised you left Pyro, after they were with Medic all evening." He gave Spy a vague statement, curious to see if he'd respond correctly. He wasn't usually wrong when he thought someone wasn't who they appeared to be.

The BLU Spy knew Pyro was not in the garage, but did not know why they might be with Medic either. Spy tried to redirect the conversation again, and answered vaguely, but with a serious flaw. "He doesn't need me as much as I need you," he purred.

Dell's gunslinger tightened into a fist. 

Spy hadn’t misgendered Pyro since he’d first been corrected.

As much as he hated Spy right now, he knew that was something Spy would never say. At least, never in front of himself or Pyro. He needed that connection with Pyro to stay close to Dell... or, possibly, Spy really felt that connection with Pyro and wouldn't give it up for anything.

With his flesh and blood hand he reached out as though to pull Spy in closer, then grabbed him roughly by the mask, dropping the slender man down to his knees.

The Spy grunted as his knees hit the hard floor. He knew he was exposed. Engineer must know he is an enemy spy now, and if it was only suspense, his failing disguise confirmed it.

"Oh là là. Are we interested in getting rough tonight?" The Spy managed to be composed, he still had one trick up his sleeve. "That I can oblige." His hand and knife darted forward to stab at Engineer and fight him off. There was little Spy could do to weasel away with a strong grip fisting his mask and hair.

The blade of the knife caught Dell's thigh before he grabbed it with his gunslinger. He was thankful that the metal hand was the free one and he'd been able to keep the Spy from stabbing deep into his leg. It was only a shallow cut. With a violent motion, Dell bent the knife, throwing it away.

With Spy disarmed, Dell grabbed him by the throat, the fingers of his gunslinger just barely restrained from cutting off the man's circulation. "Now, I think we're gonna have a nice, long chat," Dell said, his voice as cold as the metal hand around Spy's neck.

\--------------

Pyro escorted his spy to the garage and unlocked the door for him. Engineer might be unhappy to see Pyro letting Spy in, but he never stayed unhappy at Pyro. Spy stepped in to give his peace offering: A new radio to replace the one crushed by the gunslinger. However, his attention went to the man in a blue suit, sitting quite limp in a chair.

The BLU Spy glanced up when he heard the door open and he tried to compose himself, he shuffled to sit straighter. "My favourite photography model. Are you back for more?"

Spy furrowed his brows. He was glad to see a bit of blood on his BLU counterpart. But he wished the enemy spy appeared to regret his actions more. He looked to Pyro, wondering if they knew about this. Then looked to Engineer, "What is this?"

Pyro really didn't like the look of this. They weren't supposed to be the kind of people who did this, who tied people up and hurt them, like their parents did. Their stomach ached and they sat down on a nearby bench. 

Dell was wiping blood off his hands with a spare rag. He looked over the tied up body of the enemy to his enemy's Spy and felt an odd tangle of emotions. Guilt, distrust, affection, each bleeding back into the other.

"I've got some good news," he offered. "I think I found the guilty party." He gave the helpless Spy's legs a kick. "But we shouldn't say anything more in front of him, so..." Dell took the Spy by the back of the neck.

The enemy Spy's attention flashed to Dell again and when he felt the hand close around his spine he arched up and tried to get away. "Wait! Wait!" RED Spy was a little bit sadistically satisfied to see the BLU lose his composure.

Pyro’s brow knit together as they watched the frantic plea turn the BLU Spy’s voice from brown to a neon orange. It was one simple squeeze and his vertebrae were crushed in the gunslinger.

Dell struggled with his words for a moment before making eye contact with Spy. "...I still think you fucked up and gave her our weakness," he gestured between himself and Pyro, “but now I know that's all you did."

Spy waited until the limp body fully disappeared before going to Dell. "You are entirely correct. I was a fool to think she couldn't use that to hurt you." Spy denied nothing, glad to only be accused of his proper errors. "I am no longer informing on you and Pyro at all. She dismissed me from that, and I didn't return to that duty when I returned here." He presented the radio to Dell. "I hope you can consider perhaps to forgive me."

Pyro was glad to see the enemy Spy disappear into respawn. Killing him outright didn't bother them, only the thought of torturing him, of Dell becoming cruel and hurting someone that way. They were exhausted. The last few days had been hard enough, but they'd followed one the hardest weeks of Pyro's life and they still weren't feeling entirely well. The last few days had been a lot of up and down.

Being torn away from the people he loved; down. Reuniting with Dell and Spy; up. Dell not forgiving Spy; down. New prosthetic; up. Dell torturing the enemy Spy; down. It was getting overwhelming, and they still hadn't eaten anything today. They were tempted to excuse themself and pass out. Dell and Spy likely needed some time to talk anyway.

"Tired. Bed," they signed, waving at the two of them before dragging themself to bed, stripping down, and wrapping themself up in a blanket.

Dell gave Pyro a little wave, letting them know it was alright, they could go to bed.


	35. warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they talk

Dell did want to talk to Spy, with or without Pyro. Spy stepped in closer and Dell took the radio, looking down at it. It was similar to his last one. Spy was nothing if not detail-oriented.

"Thanks," he said, softly. He felt his apology sticking in his throat. He wanted to believe Spy was on their side, was here for them in the way that Dell wanted him to be, but it was so easy for him to see the danger of trust.

"I..." Dell sighed, putting the radio down and rubbing a calloused hand over his closely shaved head. "I'm sorry I hit you. I still don't know how far I can trust you," he said, meeting Spy's gaze, hoping how he felt came through his own expression. Pyro had been right, earlier. It was mostly hurt that had turned to anger. "I think you honestly like us," he nodded. "And I think you ain't used to that as much as I ain't used to trusting spies." Dell grimaced, finally forcing out the apology for more than just hitting Spy. "I don't trust easy. I'm sorry."

Spy was quick to correct Dell, "I love you both. You and Pyro. You both are my reason to be here, on this base." But Dell was correct that he was not used to such genuine intimacy. He never engaged so romantically with anyone before. "I understand you do not trust easily, but perhaps we can start over, on better terms." He offered his hand as if to greet Engineer properly. "My name is René."

Although he was fully dressed and buttoned up and masked and with his watch, he felt incredibly naked and knew this was only the beginning. He was about to be more exposed as he shared more of himself.

Engineer had automatically reached out for Spy's hand, but his hand froze at Spy's last sentence. It was as though his thoughts had hit an unexpected bump. He frowned, head tilting slightly.

Spy had just given him his name.

"You—" Dell gently took Spy's hand. "Huh," he managed. This had completely thrown him. Of all the ways he'd expected the conversation to go, this hadn’t been one of them. "René," he repeated, voice quiet. "It suits you."

Dell had never expected, or even dared to hope, that Spy would share his real name. For all he knew, it could be an alias, but the expression on Spy's face indicated to Dell that it was real. Dell couldn't quite pin down exactly what Spy felt, but it looked to be something like anxiety.

Spy smiled when Engineer repeated his name. The American accent on that R made it sound like a completely different name to his ears. But it was endearing. He slipped his other hand into his coat to retrieve an envelope and offer it to Dell. "I prepared, in case you did not trust what I say."

Spy did not have much to prove his identity, other than his word. His driver's license and other cards were all beautifully forged, and none held his true name.

Inside the envelope were little clips from newspapers. They were brittle and yellow from time but the French writing was clear. Most had a small photograph of René. Years passed, and Spy aged and became quite scarred but his nose was as unique as his clever piercing gaze. Beneath every photo was the brief message, ‘ _Mon fils, René_.’

Although Dell could not read French at all, Spy felt fully exposed now. His father was a great political journalist, but this was the little article on the side that he earned, to write ‘heart-warming’ small stories of his son. It was René's least favourite, to be spoken of so honestly and publicly. But he was grateful for them now... if Dell believed them.

Dell hesitated on the envelope, considering what might be in it. Curiosity got the best of him, and he opened it, pulling out the newspaper clips.

He couldn't help his smile. There was Spy— _René_ — in each photo, at different ages. He looked through them slowly, trying not to let his emotions show through. To show him this, pictures of himself through what looked like years of his younger life... Dell reached out and took Spy's hand, squeezing gently. He met his eyes, clearly a little emotional. "Thank you."

Part of him wanted to keep the clippings, to be able to see them again, but he knew what Spy would prefer. He slid them back into their envelope and handed them back. Though he was damnably curious about what they said, his grasp of French was limited to one or two phrases.

Spy had shown him a lot tonight. He’d wait before asking him what the articles were about. He couldn’t resist one question though. “What are the words next to your name?” He wasn’t willing to try butchering the language with his accent.

Spy glanced at the words, "Ah, _mon fils_." He was never sure what was common for Americans to know. "My son," he repeated in English, then explained, "My father is the famous journalist Monsieur Bordoit. I like to think I inherited his talent for discovering secrets."

But not his talent for living so visibly under public attention. Spy certainly saw the irony that Dell, open and honest Dell, grew up as a secret unknown to much of the world. And René, private and secretive René, grew up with embarrassing articles published detailing everything from his fear of large fish in a swimming lake, to the first woman, and then man, he brought home to meet his family.

Dell could immediately see how uncomfortable that would make Spy. “It must have been hard, having your life exposed that way. The articles are all about you, your family life?” Even for someone as open as Dell that would be embarrassing, especially as a young man. “I’d understand if you said no, but I’d love to read them, if you’d ever translate,” he admitted. “Did you tell Firebug about any of this?”

Spy splayed the articles briefly and considered translating them. He looked at Engineer and wondered if he was the type to laugh at him or laugh with him.

"I could translate some of these." He tucked them fully away into the envelope and closed it. "I didn't show Pyro. They only know I wanted to try again to speak to you."

Dell nodded. He trusted that Spy would share with Pyro when he was ready, as he had before. He'd been good about keeping them both on the same page, sharing secrets with both of them equally so no one was left out or hurt.

"I won't give your name away," Dell assured him. "I appreciate that you told me. I know it can't have been an easy choice."

With not only Spy's first name, but his last name and the knowledge that his father had written articles about him, he really could ruin Spy's life if he wanted. His heart felt tight. Spy had basically just offered Dell his life, his career, everything.

René glanced at the closed door. He knew Pyro slept lightly, but they seemed truly exhausted since they came home. "I asked them to persuade you, if you wanted to give away my name to enemies. They might worry too much to sleep if they knew I was sharing more." Spy looked to Engineer with more concern on his face, "Did you notice how thin they are? I fear they didn't eat since the Administrator split us apart. And since you and I were at odds, I think they didn't sleep well."

Spy was cautious to mention this now. He cared for Pyro and knew Engineer shared those feelings of concern. But he did not want to be welcomed back to Engineer's bed only due to guilt, if Dell needed to make Pyro feel better.

Glancing in the direction of their shared room, Dell frowned. "I haven't seen them out of their suit since they got back. And I haven't made them food the last couple days, either. I know they didn't eat before their surgery," he fretted. "Poor Firebug.”

He hated that his punishment had hurt Pyro so much. He hated everything about it, but that was the only thing that made him feel guilty. Mostly he was just angry at the Administrator. Dell considered for a moment, weighing his feelings of trust and appreciation of his newfound knowledge of Spy's past, against his fear of betrayal.

"I think we can move past this," Dell said, slowly. "I want to. But let's take it slow for awhile." He didn't think he could just fall back into the relationship as though nothing had changed. He'd been hurt, even if it hadn't really been Spy's fault. He was a little skittish to trust again. "For now, let's just focus on getting things back to normal. It's been a lot, all the changes. We all need time to adjust."

"Of course. Whatever time you need, I'll be here." Spy nodded with understanding. These days were stressful and exhausting and he truly sympathized with the need to retreat to privacy to lick one's wounds and heal.

He knew Engineer was the type to handle his pain privately. The TENS unit was possibly his biggest secret between himself and Pyro. If René let him go now, without mentioning his wound, Dell might refuse to acknowledge it until he was fully in privacy again. "What will you do with your leg?" He motioned to Dell's thigh as he brought out a cigarette for himself and lit it. "You aren't going to visit the Medic for this, and risk leaving Pyro alone." The statement wasn't accusing or judgmental. He simply knew Dell and knew he was too rattled from his encounters with two spies tonight to feel secure.

Dell grimaced at the mention of his injury. It wasn't serious, though it was still bleeding, blood beading along the edges and soaking into the thick material of his jeans. "It's not bad, I can just wrap it up, I've got a first aid kit in here."

Dell stood to retrieve it from where it was hanging beside his work table. With a glance at Spy, he quickly decided that modesty would be silly after all the other man had seen of him. He stripped out of his overalls, revealing the long, shallow cut. "Nothing serious," he repeated.

The wound stung, but it wasn't worth worrying about. For the first night in more than a week, he couldn't feel the burning pressure of the phantom pain in his arm. It was a relief. The sharp feeling across his thigh was nothing compared to his last few nights.

Opening the first aid kit, Dell looked up at Spy. "You can stay. The night, I mean. It'll make Firebug happy." Dell didn't comment on how it'd make him feel, but he was looking forward to sleeping with someone else in the bed. And though he still felt a little raw, emotionally, towards Spy, he had missed him.

Spy followed Dell to see the wound as well, and also to continue their quiet conversation. Pyro woke easily and he didn't want to speak any louder than necessary and possibly cause that. The concerned look he was giving the wound became somewhat critical at Dell's offer.

"Are you offering your bed to me due to pity?" René shook his head, completely rejecting being in anybody's bed if he was not very clearly desired to be there. He waved his hand as he spoke, creating a trail of smoke from his cigarette. " _Non_. I'll win you back, as I won you over the first time." Wonderful attention and patient seduction. "And you'll invite me into your bed as you did last time."

Maybe that last line was a little obscure. He wasn't asking to only be invited back to bed, if he was carried in Dell's arms. And he wasn't saying he wanted to be invited to stay only if he was fucked so thoroughly he could not walk to his own room. He bit the filter of his cigarette and muttered, "Vulnerability and trust and whatnot."

Dell didn't want to untangle the knot that was his feelings about Spy staying the night. It was a mess of emotion and Dell would have preferred deciding what made the most sense, logically.

Still, Spy's muttering drew a little smile from him.

Dell wrapped his leg quickly, not concerned about it enough to finish up one of the half built dispensers. As long as he didn't get blood on the sheets, he'd be happy.

"Fine," he agreed. Spy wanted to go slower than that, even, and Dell was a little glad, a little grateful. Maybe he could untangle how he felt with a bit more time. "We'll see you tomorrow, then." He stood. He had absolutely no trouble putting weight on his injured leg.

"Good night." Spy cautiously reached out to stroke his fingertips down Dell's cheek, jaw, and chin.

Dell didn’t quite lean into Spy’s touch, but he closed his eyes briefly.

René turned to go to the door and leave. He glanced briefly at the bedroom door but chose to not bother Pyro if they were sleeping soundly.

He stopped outside the door, sure that Dell was following closely to lock up. "I miss you, Dell."

Dell bit into his lip at Spy’s confession. As much as he’d felt betrayed, he’d also desperately missed Spy.

“I miss you too,” he murmured.


	36. Strike the Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dell does some digging

Engineer woke up with Pyro wrapped around him. After Spy told him that Pyro was starved, he noticed it now. Pyro's elbows were hard and sharp. He stroked the soft hair on Pyro's head. It was due for another haircut, but at this length it was so soft and warm to touch, and beautifully bright red.

"Did you listen to our Spy talking last night? Or did you go to bed and fall straight asleep?"

Still sleepy, Pyro responded verbally, still unused to the prosthetic and how they had to move their mouth and tongue now. They flushed as it came out garbled.

**"Fell asleep,"** they admitted.  **"Tired. You talked?"** Their eyes looked hopeful. Dell hadn't scowled at the mention of Spy this time, that was some kind of improvement.

Dell nodded, "Yeah, our Spy and the BLU spy. But I didn't need to tie ours down to a chair and make him talk."

Pyro looked away at the mention of what Dell had done to the BLU Spy. They didn't like to think about that. It was part of where they came from, both of them, from people who could do that without regret or remorse. Pyro didn't like it. Dell had always been a merciful sort of mercenary. It was a quick death or nothing, usually.

The Texan dropped his hand down to Pyro's shoulders and squeezed them. "I owe you an apology, Firebug. I wish I listened to you from the beginning, instead of putting you in the middle of all of this." He pushed himself up and grabbed his overalls from the foot of the bed to cover himself before Pyro saw his bandages. "You take it easy. I'm going to get some food ready for you and I'll tell you everything," he offered.

Dell's apology soothed them somewhat. At least now they wouldn't be stuck between a hurt and angry Dell and a hurt and heartbroken Spy.

**"You should always listen to me,"** they signed, but it was obvious they were only teasing.  **"Thank you."**

They were hungry, they were sure of it, but they didn't feel it anymore. The first few days their stomach had been filled with a hollow pain, had felt empty, but those had been the hardest days for them—having just been separated from Dell and Spy—and by the time they were finally leaving their room, the hunger feelings were gone. They hadn't felt like there was a real need to eat anything after that, though looking back they were sure their scores had suffered. They'd always felt fine when they woke, but by midday they were sluggish, struggling to keep up with their work.

Now they only felt exhausted and worn down. Even now that they were home, they still wanted to sleep all the time.

Dell buckled himself up, fully dressed, but missed Pyro's dislike for how he handled the enemy spy. He watched for Pyro's signs before he left and chuckled, signing in return, " **I know, I know** ." He added, verbally, "Next time I start to thinking I'm smarter, you knock some sense into me, alright Firebug?"

The Texan was glad to make the Pyro's strange food smoothie; it was a ritual of normalcy that made him really feel that things were almost back to normal. Although he did now wonder if Pyro was able to eat solid foods again. Or if they even cared to try.

Pyro hadn't really considered if they'd be able to eat solid foods yet. They were so used to that being impossible that so far it hadn't hit them that they could try. They were glad for the smoothie and drank it down slowly. Their stomach ached a little, but they knew they'd feel better soon.

He returned to the garage with breakfast to place on an empty work table and started talking after he heard the door shut, "Spy told me his name. His real name, not our name for him." He signed, " **S-Knife** .”

The revelation that Spy had shared his name with Dell came as a surprise, but a welcome one. He'd taken their suggestion, and trusted Dell!

"He almost told me all sorts of things about him, but I can't read French." He shrugged and pulled up some chairs. "Spy has stories to tell us. Little things about himself, growing up." Dell realized he was starting to ramble.

**"We could show him us growing up,"** they suggested. They had kept photos, safely tucked away in scrapbooks and albums. 

Dell's impulse was to feel defensive and reluctant to show much younger photos of themselves. But he reminded himself to trust René. And even if he couldn't trust René, there was nothing the man could do with some photos of him and Pyro camping on the ranch.

He went straight to the point Pyro probably cared about most. "We're going to work through this mess we have. We're going to give it another try, and maybe put a proper name this time on what we're doing together."

**"I'm glad you want to work through it."**

It was a huge relief. Pyro hadn't realized exactly how much stress it was putting on them, but it felt like a physical weight lifting off their shoulders.

**"What kind of proper name? Like dating?"**

Engineer hid his smile behind a large gulp of coffee when Pyro signed their suggestion: Dating. He never went that far with anyone before this Spy. He never felt this way for another man, the way he felt for him. The word, dating, and every word that came with it, boyfriend, relationship, couple, was exciting. "Maybe. I don't know what he has in mind," Dell answered calmly.

Dell's expression may have been covered, but there was a little hint of the excitement he felt in his voice. Pyro knew Dell too well for him to fool them entirely.

They liked the idea of dating Spy. They liked the idea of Dell having someone to date too.

He didn't want to let excitement rush him. "I'm not inviting him back into our bed yet, Firebug. I know he didn't split us apart and blackmail me, but he was telling secrets to the Administrator. Little secrets or big, I'm not too happy he did that."

**"It's good to take some time. It was a hard time apart for all of us."**

They were sure Spy had kept more of their secrets than he had told. That was why Spy had been sent away, right?

" **And I know—but I think he was afraid to tell her he wasn't going to give up our secrets.** " And now that they'd come so close to meeting her, stood outside her doorway, had heard Spy get shot, they could understand why.

Dell nodded when Pyro finished signing to assure the other that he understood and was not searching for the meaning. He didn't have a response immediately because, again, Pyro was correct. Engineer was so focused on wondering what Spy told to the Administrator, he almost forgot that Spy was sent away because of what he failed to tell the Administrator.

The Texan's brows came together and then he asked, "Why  _ is _ he here?" He wondered if Pyro knew. "If the Administrator knows he ain't spying on us now, why is she letting him stay around here?"

Pyro shrugged. They didn’t know the details. They hadn’t heard everything Spy and the Administrator has said. They hadn’t really thought about it. Spy had wanted to be with them and he’d fought to make that possible. It hadn’t mattered to them how he’d gotten it done.

Dell assured his partner, "I ain't saying I don't trust him! I'm just sayin’... He knows more about things going on than what he says." He tapped his metal fingers on the table, thinking about it. "I'm going to pay a little visit to the Administrator after the battle tonight."

As much as he hated the woman these days, he knew she was only slimy and cruel when saving herself. She had no reason at all to protect Spy's reputation.

 

***

 

Once battle was over — victory for RED — and both Dell and Pyro had showered, Dell got in his truck and drove to the Administrator's office. The drive took some time, Dell didn't drive as wildly as René.

When he got there, he followed the protocols to get to her, allowing one of her men to take his gun, and waiting outside her office for awhile. Part of him was sure it was just a display of power, that she wasn't busy. But for now, he was willing to play along.

The door audibly unlocked when she was ready for him, although she repeated the usual pattern of leaving him to stand in silence while she watched the screens in front of her. She spoke before she turned around. "Well, Mr. Conagher?" Her chair turned and she settled her hard stare on him. "Will you tell me why you requested a meeting with me?"

Dell didn't sit, not willing to make himself comfortable in her presence. "I wanted to know what happened to make you change your mind about Spy returning to our base," he said, keeping his question simple and his voice firm.

The Administrator lit a cigarette while her lips curled around the filter. The mention of the spy made her angry. She was not used to being betrayed by her employees. Although anyone knows a Spy can switch sides, her pockets were deep and she was always on the winning side. She never expected something else could be a factor. "He insisted on being on the same base as you. He got his way, this time."

"I find it hard to believe you let him come back out of the goodness of your heart," Dell said coldly.

She chuckled. Maybe the Texan meant it as an insult but it was an accurate statement. "He seems to do as he likes now. In a sense, he doesn't truly work for me anymore. He works for you."

Dell frowned. That made no sense to him. Spy had betrayed her, somehow, gotten out from under her thumb in order to get back to him and Pyro, but how?

"He knows something," Dell assumed. "He has something on you."

He was suddenly surprised that she had let Spy live. He felt a little fear for the man. What had he had to promise to get out of here alive? What sort of information did he hold over this powerful woman? And would he survive it?

"Blackmail? No, there isn't anything I’ve ever done that I'm ashamed of." The Administrator leaned back into her chair and sucked slowly on the cigarette.

The Administrator was after Dell from the beginning. She employed both RED and BLU spies to dig deep for dirt that would put the Texan under her thumb forever. "When the BLU Spy came in here with those photographs of your machine, I knew I had you cornered. And because I can send Pyro anywhere I like: home with you or to the other side of the world..." She grinned at the fond memory of the victory, "I do like how you good Southern boys accept it so gracefully when you are beaten..." She really paused now, savouring the final moments of the memory of her victory.

"Well.” She continued her original thought, “Your Spy came here with Pyro and showed me quite simply that there is nothing I can do to your little friend, that Spy cannot rescue them from." The rest was obvious. If the Administrator could not threaten to hurt or mistreat Pyro, there was nothing to make Dell obey her when he could easily kill her. What was a plan to work like a knife twisting in Dell's gut suddenly turned, a knife at her throat. "So, Mr. Conagher, you now have your friend, safely beside you wherever you go. And the best agent in espionage, wasting his talents on destroying any intelligence that I collect on you. All of this, and in exchange, you work for me."

The deal was sweet and she visibly hated it. She was so much more experienced in giving a person no choice but to obey her. Giving a person everything they wanted with the hope they do as she wants in return was too much trust for her to like. But Spy was dedicated to ruining her plans to protect his partner, and he left her with no choice.

Dell let everything she said sink in for a moment, silently. He still felt like he was missing a piece of the puzzle before this, but now it felt real.

Spy had left the base he'd been transferred to. He'd somehow found out where Pyro was. He'd gone to that base and rescued Pyro. He'd come here, told her of the new arrangement he’d decided and gotten shot for his trouble, yet somehow still come out on top. And after that, Spy and Pyro had returned to their home base with Dell.

And Dell's first reaction had been to hit him.

With that, he nodded to her. "Ma'am." He took his leave of her, still trying to find that last piece of the puzzle that had kept her from killing Spy outright.

Finally it occurred to him as he was getting into his truck: He, himself, was that final piece. She knew she couldn't kill Pyro without losing his loyalty. She knew she needed the last Conagher's work here. And not only had she confirmed that Spy was 'the best agent in espionage', but that she knew, in some sense, that they were close too.

If she'd killed Spy and Dell had found out, things would have gone much differently and Dell may have left, or begun to sabotage his work for TFI. Spy had left her little choice.

All three of them were top of their fields, perfectly suited to their jobs. She could hardly throw that away, even if she didn't like the deal as it was.

Dell drove back with the radio on, tapping his metal fingers against the steering wheel in time to a sweet country melody.


	37. Burning Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some Pyro and Spy time

Spy returned to the garage that evening, unaware Dell had left.

Pyro was surprised by the knock, not expecting Dell back quite that soon, and sure that he’d come in through the back, to park the truck. They weren't entirely sure what he was doing, but they worried when he was off base. He'd said he was visiting the Administrator, which was worrisome, but hopefully whatever he learned would help him trust Spy.

Glancing at the camera's video feed, they were happy to see Spy. It would be nice to have company. And with Spy they didn't feel they needed to be wearing anything more than the undershirt and boxers they were in.

Pyro answered the door to the garage, and there was no sign of Engineer, surprising the Spy. "An evening alone?" He stepped in and saw Dell's old American truck was gone also. "Do you mind if I keep you company?" René lifted the box in his hands, "I brought a little dinner. I'm sure you have candles, we might have a nice little evening for ourselves."

**"I'm glad you're here,"** they signed.

They weren't entirely sure what Spy had brought for dinner or whether or not they could eat it, but they found a few candles and lit them. There wasn't exactly a dining table, but they set up on the emptiest work table.

Spy set down the picnic box and took Pyro's hands after they signed. "Talk to me." He sat down and guided the hands for Pyro to sit also. "I know I can kiss you now. What else can this new face do?" René released one of Pyro's hands to stroke the metal jawline. "Did you practice speaking already?"

Pyro had been practicing, talking to themself all evening since Dell had left, but they still weren’t used to having the use of a complete lower jaw. They’d learned to overcompensate and now they were trying to unlearn it. They could only manage to be understood by Dell if they spoke slowly, so far, choosing their words carefully and keeping their sentences short.

Leaving their hand in Spy’s, they spoke, but there was frustration in their expression. They wanted to be understood. “I practiced. It’s still hard to talk,” they enunciated.

Spy noticed the letter P was impossible for them. No practice fixed that. "These bilabial sounds are a formidable challenge."

Pyro nodded. They found that talking around certain sounds worked better. People filled in the gaps as long as they chose their words carefully enough and spoke slowly.

It was somehow ironic that Pyro could never say their own name, no matter how well they practiced. But luckily, other names might be less difficult. "I like hearing your voice. When you're ready, with your practice, I anticipate hearing my name.  _ René _ ."

Pyro wasn’t sure how they felt about Spy liking their voice. They still struggled to like it themself, they missed how easy it had been before their accident. Though by now they couldn't really remember how they used to sound. But Spy liked their voice  _ now _ , and it was the only voice of theirs he'd ever known. It was kind of nice.

They brightened to hear Spy give his name. 

**"R-E-N-E,”** they repeated happily, both aloud and with sign. Their voice slowed slightly so their signs could keep up.  **“Dell said you gave him your name. But he wanted you to tell it to me."** It had been, admittedly, hard to wait.  **"He said you might tell us stories about you. And we can tell you stories too. And show you pictures."**

They were excited to learn more about Spy, and for him to learn more about them and Dell.

Spy looked almost shy, despite a hard attempt to not show it. Being open about his life and the personal stories of his youth was embarrassing to a private man. But he hoped if he didn't let himself blush or be flustered he could force away the nervousness.

The suggestion that Pyro could share photos also was a good distraction. Spy was immediately interested. "Oh?" He smoothed the front of his suit with his palms and felt the photos in their envelope, "I brought some of the newspaper articles with me, but I anticipate I need some wine before I'm ready to translate their stories," he suggested, "but if we are sharing photos and stories..." he shrugged, "I think it is a little easier that way, no?"

Pyro nodded. They had a lot of photos. Some of them they wouldn't bother to share, from when they had been learning how to use their camera and had taken pictures of everything. But there were a lot of Dell and them from when Dell was studying in college. And there were plenty of them on the farm together, from when they were children.

There were even a few of them on the Classic team's base, though Pyro didn't think Spy would want to see those.

A little less shy about their voice, now that Spy had encouraged it, they spoke and signed together again, instead of just signing. The extra practice would help them adjust to the new prosthetic faster.

**"I think it will be easier that way,"** they agreed ;  it would take some of the focus off Spy — off René — and help put him at ease. Though they didn't think Dell had any wine, only beer.  **"We should wait for Dell. I don't know how long he'll be."**

René took a fork from the table and stabbed a morsel of food. "I'm sure Dell wants to be here when you share photos of his awkward growing years, and when I share mine." He bit the food and savoured the heat of the spice. "But I doubt he wants us to let dinner become cold, or go to waste."

Spy offered the next bite to Pyro but wondered if they even would accept it. The metal jaw seemed to complete their face, but maybe eating required more than teeth. Maybe there was a good reason they only ate smoothies of blended food.

They nodded, of course Dell wouldn't want them to wait around to eat. But they were a little hesitant to take the bite of food from Spy.

Even if they had been adjusting well to the jaw, practicing grinding their new lower teeth against their upper ones and stretching their jaw, this was their first attempt at eating and they didn't like the idea of it either not working, or them ending up choking, or some other terrible ending. They took it carefully in their mouth. It had been a few years since they'd chewed anything.

Covering their mouth, already embarrassed of a potential failure, they managed to get it between their back teeth to chew, slowly. As they chewed, they felt a strange sensation, an almost burning feeling.

Their eyes widened a little. Was this tasting? Were they tasting something? It didn't seem quite the same, but they were feeling something, and that by itself was exciting. Swallowing was always the most difficult part, it could be difficult with a part of their tongue missing, so they took their time chewing, enjoying the odd sensations along their palate and what remained of their tongue.

Finally they swallowed their little morsel and immediately signed to Spy,  **"What flavour?"**

René cut another piece of the steak and began a long description of the seasoning, the flavour of the meat, the quality of the brand, the aromas and each other quality. 

He was totally unaware that it meant nothing to Pyro. They tasted nothing since the accident. Such damage took a lot from their face, and completely took their sense of smell and taste. The only sensation that remained was the burn of spice on the soft skin of their mouth. 

René eventually arrived at that part. "The heat is jalepeños imported from Mexico." He ate the bite on his fork and when it was swallowed he admitted, "Dell mentioned this. Something he missed from home. It could be a nice surprise, if he were here."

At the mention of the peppers, Pyro snapped their fingers. It was spicy!

Once they had found out that their sense of taste and smell were gone, they had stopped caring about food, about what they ate. If it were not for Dell making sure they ate, it was likely they would have stopped eating regularly, as was common with those who could not smell or taste. They hadn't really bothered to have a varied diet, or ask for anything in particular. Whatever Dell made them was easiest, and Dell tried to make sure they had a balanced diet and hadn't bothered to try anything spicy, not really thinking about food as an experience, only as a need.

The sensation was one they remembered now, and it called the ranch to mind. When they'd been old enough to help prepare meals, they remembered cutting hot peppers for a dish and having that same burning sensation under their fingernails all day. They weren't sure how much Spy knew about their inability to taste or smell.

**"I can’t taste things,"** they started, speaking as they signed. They always spoke quicker when they were signing, to keep up with their hands.  **"I can feel it. I love it."**

"I presume it was the accident, that you don't taste things." Spy raised a brow with interest. Knowing that they didn't taste anything made sense, and he scolded himself now for not knowing.

René cut another bite for Pyro and offered it. "If you do like this so much, perhaps we can stop those terrible smoothies and I will be your personal chef." He doubted Dell would mind. No one who truly enjoys culinary arts would put all parts of a meal into a bowl and blend it.

Spy's question drew a quick nod from them. The accident had taken so much all at once.

**"Can't smell anything either,"** they signed, shrugging.

At first it had made working with fire difficult, but by now they'd adjusted. They'd come to rely on Dell for that sort of thing. They couldn't smell smoke if something had gone wrong. They couldn't tell what an accelerant was just by the smell. Everything they used was carefully labelled and Dell had, of course, set up smoke detectors, which could be a pain when either of them were doing something that made the room smoky.

Pyro was eager to take the next bite now they knew they could eat it, really eat it, by themself. Not only that, but that it gave them something not unlike the sensation of taste. It burned their mouth, and they loved it. 

They were finding they had missed more than just the taste of food, too. The steak was hot, not just spicy, but warm. Their usual puréed food was cold to room temperature. And the texture, something they never could have had before the prosthetic, was another wonderful thing they'd missed but hadn't really realized they were missing.

It was an amazing discovery, and they had René to thank for it.


	38. From the Ashes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ahhh we're getting so close to the end!

The garage door began to open and Dell slowly pulled in, raising a hand to greet René and Pyro as he did. Though he was sure the other Spy wouldn't be coming near his garage for awhile after what had happened last time, he still watched the garage door close to assure himself that no one could get in before joining them.

"Hey." He squeezed Pyro's shoulder, and to his surprise, saw them chewing.

He looked over the meal Spy had brought and couldn't help a laugh. "You never forget a thing, do you?" He'd mentioned this particular supper to Spy before, told him that he hadn't had it since they'd left the ranch, that it was something both him and Pyro had always enjoyed. "You figuring things out, Firebug? You sure look happy." Dell sat down next to them, giving Spy a soft look.

The words the Administrator had said were still ringing through his head. Spy had fought tooth and nail for them, but more than that, he cared for them. He brought them things he thought they'd enjoy, he learned sign language for Pyro, he accepted the both of them for everything that they were.

Dell put a hand on Spy's knee, just resting his weight there.

Pyro nodded and began to sign as they finished chewing, telling the Engineer about everything they'd just discovered.

"Huh," Engineer said, when Pyro was finished, still practically vibrating with their excitement. "Never would've occurred to me to try spicy food for you, Firebug, that's real clever."

Spy managed to keep himself composed and somewhat aloof. He nodded to welcome Dell and winked as he acknowledged the menu.

He sensed more warmth from the Texan. He seemed softer and almost welcoming and when the heavy hand rested on his knee, René immediately placed his hand on it. "I hope you don't mind, I will be replacing your duties preparing food," Spy suggested with Pyro's approval.

Dell shook his head, but he was smiling. "Heck, you don't have to do that. Things'll be a bit different now that Pyro can eat solid food again. I promise I ain't that bad of a cook. But I doubt anyone would mind if you did take over a little."

Dell couldn't resist trying a bite of the deliciously spicy steak, humming his approval around his mouthful. "Never mind," he teased, "you can take over cooking for me too, if everything you make is so good." The meal was perfect, but even more, it recalled him to his youth. It felt familiar.

Spy glanced at the Texan's truck. If Dell didn't get any tools from the back then he wasn't in town for supplies. To return at this time meant he visited _her_. "Did the Administrator call you to meet with her?" René probed and hoped Dell would be open. "What did she want?"

Of course Spy would figure out exactly where he'd been. That, or maybe Pyro had mentioned it to him, but Dell suspected the first was more likely.

"I, uh..." He didn't know exactly what Spy would make of his decision to see the Administrator about him. But he always erred on the side of honesty. "I asked for an appointment, actually. I was curious as to why she let you get away with the stunt you pulled, bringing Pyro and yourself back here."

Pyro looked between the two of them. They were curious too, about why they hadn't just been sent away again. They were glad, though. If the Administrator's people had tried, this time they would have fought, knowing what was going on.

Dell was unable to decide between admiration of Spy's nerve, or the fear that he could easily have been killed instead. "I don't know how you did it, but you got us a hell of a deal."

René almost laughed. He saw the Engineer in battle and it was impossible to imagine him sitting in that little waiting room, looking at a gossip magazine.

He shrugged casually. "For a man like myself, it was nothing impossible."

Spy would never admit how difficult it was, much more preferring to insist it was easy for him. But he was flattered to know that Dell appreciated it, and he could not hide his proud smirk.

"Now that you know the arrangement, do you approve?" Spy grinned, naturally assuming the Administrator told him everything but repeated it anyway. "You are both 'off limits' for gathering intelligence. And if our enemy Spy invites himself to gather intelligence on you, I will be stealing it back." René looked a little apologetic then, "But she won't let you leave Mann Co, ever. She will need you to keep her alive."

Hopefully, when Dell was less angry someday, it would be more possible that he could fix the device on her arm rather than try to kill her.

Dell frowned a little. "Now, she told me most of that, but what's this about keeping her alive?" The puzzle pieces briefly rearranged in his mind and it dawned on him. "She was willing to take a bad deal in order to keep herself from dying."

It had to do with Australium, surely, and those machines Dell's father and grandfather had made for Blutarch and Redmond. She was getting quite on in years. If she wasn't already using a machine like that, she would be soon.

"No wonder she didn't tell me." He shook his head with disbelief. "She didn't want to reveal a weakness to me while I'm still pissed at her."

René chuckled. "She would be a fool to let you know her life is in your hands, if you only want to crush her." Finished with eating, the Spy lit a cigarette for himself and reclined in his seat. "I assured her, if she took everything away from you, you certainly have nothing to lose if you decide to kill her."

Spy shook his head, clearly thinking Elizabeth had a bad plan. Perhaps most people could be controlled with fear and intimidation. But not Dell. Not for long anyway.

Spy looked to Pyro. "I doubt she will ever try to ‘kidnap’ you again." Maybe the official papers said it was a transfer, but for the intention, René considered it a kidnapping. "But if she does, I expect you will, how does Soldier say it? Give them hell."

Pyro's gaze was instantly drawn to Spy's lighter and cigarette as he lit them, their eyes lit up bright with the fire. They nodded in agreement with Spy. If anyone wanted them to go anywhere without Dell or René again, they wouldn't be so easy to take.

"You're right, she wouldn't've survived too long with that kind of grip on me. I mean, she's still got us under her thumb, but it's different now. I always figured this would be the last place I'd work, so this ain't too different than what I expected." Dell squeezed Pyro's shoulder, glad to know that they wouldn't go anywhere. "And now we've got our own personal Spy to keep our secrets," Dell chuckled. "And keep the other spies at bay."

Spy offered the pack of cigarettes to Pyro without hesitation. It was simple etiquette to share cigarettes with someone eyeing them so interested.

René was flattered again by the praise, but used the suggestion for his advantage. "I hoped we might have more than a professional relationship." His gloved hand turned over the broad warm palm on his knee and he slid his fingers together with Dell's. "Let's plan for a date. Pyro had an idea that we share some old photos and memories, and perhaps we bring a camera and make new ones also."

Pyro took a cigarette delightedly. Now that they had a lower jaw they could actually try one. They really hadn't been interested in them until they'd seen how much Spy enjoyed them. It had made them curious.

Dell stopped them before they could light it. "Sorry, darlin', you know your lungs aren't great. That's a bad idea," he chided, with no venom in his words meant for either of them.

Pyro's pleading face was met with disapproval and they sighed, tucking the cigarette next to their lighter, in a way that recalled Spy’s stealing of the photograph. They still wanted to try the cigarette, so they wouldn't give it back to Spy. They'd just wait until Dell was elsewhere. Surely one cigarette wouldn't be do any damage.

Spy watched the cigarette disappear next to Pyro’s lighter rather than his hand. He met eyes with Pyro and raised a curious brow, but said nothing.

Pyro said nothing, but their eyes lit up a little. Spy made things disappear into his cigarette case, and Pyro could do the same, with only Spy the wiser for it.

Feeling certain that was that, Dell turned back to René. "I'd hoped that too. And that sounds like a real nice date. Firebug used to be a real shutterbug." Dell smiled. Two of his favourite names for Pyro were bug related, and it was strange that it made more sense now, now that Pyro used the chem mask for work every day, with its bug-like lenses. "It'd be good to see you using a camera again."

Pyro nodded. They wanted pictures of Spy—René now, but it was still hard to think of him as anything but Spy. Luckily the name in sign wouldn't change. They wanted pictures of all of them together, and for the first time in a long time, they wanted pictures of themself.

René nodded to agree with Dell. "I'll bring the drinks, then. Tomorrow, perhaps?" Spy drew a circle on Dell's hand with his thumb.

"That sounds perfect." Dell nodded. "You're welcome to stay, if you want," he added, a little shyly. He didn't think either of them were up for sex, that was a bit too soon, but he had to admit he missed just being close to the other man.

Spy studied Dell's expression. The man appeared shy and vulnerable, not cautious and guarded now. The offer seemed genuine.

René was cautious still. He was desperate to share their bed again, but didn't want to let Dell push himself before he was ready. "If I want that? Of course I want to stay." He leaned in and blew ribbons of smoke to the side, "Do you want me to stay?" René was going to make Dell be as honest and transparent as he often prided himself to be.

Pyro contained their excitement at the possibility of sharing a bed with Spy and Dell together again. Dell and Spy needed to work it out first, there was no point getting excited if it wouldn't end up happening anyway.

Dell squeezed Spy's hand gently. "I do." He sighed, "I think part of why I was so furious was because I missed you at the same time. It just made it hurt more. It'd be nice to have you spend the night again." He liked Spy sleeping next to him. It was a real show of trust, being that vulnerable with the two of them. And Dell was hoping that they could still have that trust.

Spy stood up and held Dell's hand to lead him. "I'm glad that horrible woman set everything right." Even if it was unintentional. "She is good for something." René offered a hand to Pyro as well. "Let's go to bed, _mes amours_."

They all went to the bedroom, undressing together. Pyro was still too thin, but now that they had discovered how much they enjoyed warm, spicy food, surely they'd regain their weight quickly.

Dell ran a hand over their naked shoulder blades. Even those seemed sharper than he remembered. Dell offered Spy the spot between the two of them. He was looking forward to tomorrow, to sharing more of their history and hearing some of René's.

For all that they'd started getting decent sleep again, Pyro was still worn out from the last couple weeks. As soon as they'd settled down, they were deeply asleep.

Spy let the partners settle in, overwhelmed with the feeling of comfort. If he ever had a complaint that the bed was too small for three adults, the complaint was forgotten now. Dell's arm, wrapped around Pyro and him both was a welcome weight.

He did not need to stretch his neck to kiss the soft short fuzz on Pyro's scalp. René turned to Dell and hesitated. Very cautious, he kissed the Texan's forehead.

Dell smiled in the dark, putting a hand against René's cheek and delicately pressing their lips together. It was slow, almost chaste, and somehow it filled Dell with relief. They could fit together again, the way they had before.

René was unsure if the Texan was ready to be kissed on his forehead even, but when the gesture was returned with something more tender and sincere, it made Spy melt. Hidden tension in his shoulders (a permanent thing from the stress of spying) melted away and allowed to let his partners press closer together.

René knew this was where he was definitely welcome.


	39. Fireside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some sharing

Spy woke when Pyro began to move, but he remained motionless. Dell slept close to him and let a heavy arm rest on Spy's chest. He worried that any movement might wake Dell. After missing this contact for so long, René wanted to let this last.

He let his eyes follow the Pyro. They were surprisingly stealthy as they removed a thin envelope from a pocket of the coat. The paper never rustled, even when they opened it to examine the news articles inside.

René was sure they were mimicking him and his sneaky behavior.

He watched Pyro's naked back until the curiosity overwhelmed him. He moved Dell's hand gently, although it likely woke him up. And he sat up to look over Pyro's shoulder. Spy hummed, both embarrassment and amusement as he saw a photo of himself as a young adolescent, standing in a lush forest.

Dell did stir when René pulled away from him, blinking slowly. It took him a few moments to properly wake up, listening to his two bedmates.

He took the article from Pyro's hand and put his chin on their shoulder. "I wasn't very impressive then. But I think I aged well, no? All of the best things from France do."

Pyro leaned their head against Spy's, affectionately. They spoke and signed, " **Pretty** ," before looking through the other articles. They wished they could read them, but the French didn't give anything away.

Spy grinned and kissed the raised scars on Pyro's neck, a gesture full of appreciation.

Dell rolled over to look at the two of them with a sleepy smile. "Mornin’."

" _Bonjour, mon grand_." René passed the article to Dell to include him.

He continued to rest his head on Pyro's shoulder, but answered the question of the subject before it was asked, he translated, "This is a photo as I embark on my first camping vacation alone in the forest." He put his cheek on Pyro's shoulder to look back at Dell.

Pyro leaned into Spy's affectionate kisses, putting an arm around him. They were glad to hear the story that went with the picture. Young René was smiling. They wondered, briefly, if the three of them would have liked each other even then, in their youth.

Dell studied the picture with a grin. "Did you enjoy it?"

Dell and Pyro had camped around the farm when they were young, whenever they felt like sleeping outside, but they never went off the ranch for camping until Dell started college. They took a few trips together, some with other students, but never far from civilization. For all that they'd grown up on a ranch, Dell wasn't sure they would have done well trekking through the forest by themselves.

Spy laughed abruptly at the idea, " _Pas de tout_!" He added, bitterly, "I was miserable. I could not make a fire. My map was taken away by the wind. And I lost my camp."

René brushed over the details but it was evident that the spy was the exact image of ‘city folk’. His Italian loafers and expensive spy gear was useless against mother nature. His charming quality and tendency to use people didn't help him when he was alone.

"My father used it to explain how young kids are too comfortable in cities and don't know how to survive in the wild now." René was a little embarrassed to admit a weakness. He preferred to seem flawless, especially for his lovers. If he knew they camped in their own native terrain without issue, not as a test but as a hobby, René would be truly embarrassed.

Luckily, whenever Spy did reveal a flaw, his partners seemed to appreciate the glimpse at his vulnerable side.

Dell looked sympathetic. "Sounds like just about everything went wrong for you." he gave René's shoulder a pat. "And that was a cruel way for your father to make his point."

It rubbed Dell the wrong way when older generations compared the younger ones with themselves and always seemed to find fault with them. Things were always changing, and so rapidly. The way people lived life was changing. Of course the generations would have different priorities, and different needs.

Radigan had been particularly bad for that. He'd been a strict man all his life, but the older he got, the more bitter he seemed to become. For all that his machinery had helped bring the world into the future, he hadn't been prepared to live in it.

After a brief nuzzle, Pyro began shuffling through more clippings, looking to Spy to see if any caught his eye. It sounded like René had his own family issues and it was oddly reassuring to them.

Spy put a slim hand on top of Dell's comforting hand. He turned his head to follow the sound of paper shuffling and see the photos.

"This one didn't go well either." René touched an article as Pyro shuffled it. Although not a spy yet, René looked well dressed and dignified, despite a police officer holding his arm. They were listening to someone not included in the photo, very seriously, and behind them was a grand glass pyramid.

"I was employed at the Louvre simply to enforce that no one touches the art. I saw someone attempting to stealing a piece of art, and so I stabbed him with my pen." The solution seemed natural to Spy, of course. His eyes ran over the words of the story thoughtfully as he reminded himself of the details. "Ah yes, the museum, and the police were not pleased with my reaction, but the people", the readers of the article, "I was a hero to them. A saviour of French culture!"

Engineer chuckled. Of course René's first reaction would be to stab the man with a pen. The would-be thief was just lucky he hadn't had a knife.

Pyro wasn't sure what a typical reaction would be to art thieves, but they had a suspicion that it wasn't stabbing. But Spy had been protecting something important. It didn't seem like such an overreaction to them. But seeing what they did every day, they may be biased.

If it surprised Pyro and Engineer to learn he protected things from stealing as his job, rather than stealing, he fit their expectations soon. "After this article, I stole the art and no one caught me. They might still be looking through their art storage and wondering if they misplaced it." He chuckled, very pleased with himself. "I found the rightful owners of the art, from before it was stolen in the invasion. I returned it to them," René added.

"I'm gonna guess the second part of that story isn't included in the article. Kind of you to return it." Dell shrugged. "And I'm glad you weren't caught. How old were you?" He already looked so mature, but if his father was still writing articles about him, surely he was still living with his family?

Then it occurred to Dell that they hadn't asked about Spy's family, really. They didn't even know if he had family besides his father. The Engineer wasn't sure how to ask that, so he left it alone for now.

René looked suspiciously at Dell, assuming why he was asked for his age. Truthfully, he didn't remember and looked at the article again. "Nineteen years."

Given the date on the article, his partners could know his current age now. He studied both of their faces, wondering if they were counting the years making his age now. René agreed with Dell casually, "Oui, It is very fortunate I wasn't caught. Orange is not my colour."

Dell just chuckled. It honestly hadn't occurred to him to do the math and add up the years. He was more interested in finding out at what age Spy had started stabbing people.

Pyro did add it up, but said nothing. They had assumed they were the youngest of the three of them, and they'd been right, even if they hadn't been able to pin Spy's age down before. He had an ageless quality about him, which was surely a good trait for a Spy. They'd assumed he was closer to Dell’s age than he was, but they didn't mind finding out they were wrong. Pyro pressed their lips—metal and skin—against Spy's shoulder, affectionately.

Spy tried to resist a shiver as the cold metal and warm lip touched his skin with affection. The shiver overtook him and he fluttered under Pyro's touch, but did not lean away.

" **Were you working as a Spy then?** " They pulled away to speak more clearly as they signed, feeling more and more confident as they practiced. Certain sounds were still impossible, but others were far easier with a complete lower jaw.

"Perhaps not professionally. But I was interested in the career and practicing the skill sets." Stopping a thief from stealing art, only to steal it himself was in fact a good comparison to the challenge of capturing enemy intelligence and protecting the team's own intelligence.

Pyro considered. It was very much like what Dell and they had been doing throughout their early lives. They hadn't been paid to build machines or set fires, but they had done it, assuming it would be a part of their lives, that they would follow in their parents' footsteps and become an Engineer and a Pyro.

There had really never been anything else they'd wanted to be.

René fumbled with paper clippings without moving away from Pyro. "I truly became a spy only after I moved away." He needed to move far away also. René was certainly not a celebrity in France, not at all. But also, it was too common to be suddenly recognized by an older person and regular reader of newspapers. Spy found his anonymity when he left France.

"It would be difficult," Dell said, "being a spy in a place where you might be recognized by anyone."

Spy stopped on an article that featured him as an adult, standing beside a much older man, resembling him very well. Their tall and narrow city home, squeezed between other tall and narrow city homes, was behind them. " _Voilà_ , the last article."

He hesitated over it to study himself. He was younger, of course, but his perfectly unscarred skin stood out to him. René barely recognized himself in these old photos, but in this photo, aged twenty-two and dressed in a tailored suit gifted to him from his mother, he looked like the first chapter of a long and difficult story. He pulled his eyes away and handed it off.

Dell smiled as he studied the clipping. The young man was looking more and more like their René, like the man he was today. "You just get more and more handsome, don't you?" He stroked a hand over Spy's back. Though René looked quite a bit like his father, there was something quite different about him as well. It was hard to pin down exactly what it was. Even in his young twenties, there was a grace to him that his father didn’t have.

He found it touching to see what he assumed was Spy's home at some point. He wondered if René had somehow gotten ahold of pictures of the Conagher ranch before, had seen their family home. It was unlikely—his family was very private—but Pyro had a few pictures of them in their home, and he knew Spy would appreciate them sharing.

Though it sounded as though his father had made his life a bit more difficult, and they had perhaps not always gotten along, Pyro liked seeing the two of them together. They had only a couple photographs of themself with their parents, and they were all photos with the entire Classic team in them, with Dell and them in the front.

Spy smiled to Dell's compliment and teased, "Such flattery. What are you trying to get from me, cowboy?" But he was glad for Dell's words. The American’s reaction was much better than to see the photos and exclaim how handsome Spy was before his career scarred him so much.

René nudged Pyro. "I thought you would show me your photos also. This is how they say, I show you mine, you show me yours."


	40. Bright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a little more show and tell

Pyro practically hopped off the bed. They'd wanted to wait until Spy was done and not interrupt him, but they'd been excited to share. They hesitated over which album to grab. There were a few pictures of the Classic team in most of them and they wanted to avoid that. They picked up two; one from the ranch and their years as children and one of the two of them in college.

They deposited the first album in Spy's lap, letting him flip through. The pictures started when Dell was a chubby toddler and Pyro was a baby. The pictures had been carefully selected for the album and Pyro disliked having two similar photos in one book, so they moved through the years quickly.

Spy relaxed into the bed with an easy smile to examine the photos. No detail left his attention.

He noticed dogs and cats, completely unnoticed by the children. To them, these animals were only tools for the ranch. Weapons and strange mechanical things were in the backgrounds of the photos too, also ignored by the children.

Soon enough Pyro was the one toddling around, and the two of them were starting to show more of their personalities in the pictures.

There was Dell taking apart a radio, Pyro fidgeting with an unlit lighter, in their attempt to light it. At what must have been no more than four, there was already a red, raised brand on the back of their hand.

The brand didn't even register to the two of them and Engineer chuckled. "That's in the workshop, though there's not much of it in the photo. We were only allowed in there with someone to watch us."

His lips pressed thin when he saw the burn on Pyro's hand at such a young age. René didn't know Bea's intention for branding someone so young, but he knew intention did not matter when causing harm like this. His hand slid into Pyro's hand and touched the raised brand gently, commenting, "She introduced you to fire so young."

Pyro nodded, putting their other hand over Spy's. They couldn't sign like that, but pressed a kiss to René's shoulder. They'd been young enough that they didn't remember getting that brand. Dell said they'd cried initially, but calmed down quickly. By now, Pyro knew that branding caused a bright and terrible initial pain, and then something like a high. Maybe it was that first experience that had turned them onto fire at all.

He continued through the book and grinned at the vast land. They were held on the ranch for years, but cabin fever was no risk. Their home was large, and the land stretched on, including a pond, trees, grassy plains and dirt plains. Plenty to entertain active youths.

Spy grinned wider at a photo of the two as adolescent youths. "Oh dear, it did not take them long to pass your height." It appeared that Pyro was years younger and smaller than Engineer for much of childhood. But as soon as Engineer slowed down, Pyro passed him quickly.

Dell laughed, "Yeah, most everyone got taller than me. It was nice to be taller while it lasted."

They each said a little here or there, laughing at some of the photographs. Finally they reached one of the Conagher family, plus Pyro, sitting on the front steps of the ranch house. Dell clearly took after his father; his mother was the taller of the two and dark haired. Pyro's red hair and freckles stood out from the four of them. They were older here, Dell just barely a teenager.

"There, not sure if you'd ever seen a photo of the Conagher ranch, but that's the house proper." Dell had been watching René curiously as they flipped through the pages, paying more attention to him than the pictures.

When René reached the last page he settled in to take in every detail. The family photo included Radigan, but it was long since his retirement. It was strange to see the fierce Engineer grey and stooped, with bony arms and shoulders. Dell's father looked the same as his photos, but only slightly less surly away from battle. Dell and Pyro were sweet and approachable by comparison. But Spy wondered if it was only because he knew them well.

René raised a brow and tapped a finger on the image of Pyro. "Are these Dell's clothes?"

Pyro nodded again. Until they'd surpassed Dell in height, their clothes were all hand-me-downs. It had just made sense, and they'd never minded. They mostly preferred pants to skirts anyway, though they'd worn mostly skirts when they were with Dell in college.

After this point in their lives, they'd spent a lot more time on the BLU base, Dell and Pyro both picking up skills from the team. Pyro didn't think Spy would want to see those. They grabbed the second album and began to flip through again. The two of them were both in their late teens now, clearly a few years had passed.

The first few pictures of Dell were surprising. He looked uncharacteristically grim, and it was easy to see why. His right forearm was terribly burnt. The Classic Medic had dramatically sped up his healing, but there was nothing he could do about the scarring. While Dell's father designed the first version of the gunslinger, his son had waited impatiently. Radigan's gunslinger was much too large for Dell, and far heavier than it needed to be; it needed to be redesigned for his grandson.

Neither Dell nor Pyro particularly liked these photos, but Pyro couldn't bring themself to remove or destroy them. They were important.

Dell was quick to move them past the first few pictures, getting to him with the early version of the gunslinger.

René did not protest when Dell hurried past the first pages. He saw the red arm, shining with ointment, and sickly white where a skin transplant was made. He was not surprised that Dell did not like to remember it.

He stopped the pages when he saw the first gunslinger Conagher Sr. built for Dell. It was not as detailed and delicate as the current arm. It showed a great comparison for the incredible engineering skills of both men, and that Dell's skills surpassed his father's.

René suddenly felt quite proud to see how his partner's skills measured to the skills of another famous Engineer. He hummed and commented, "It looks..." he trailed off, not wanting to insult the creator of the man wearing the older version of the arm. René phrased it differently, "I didn't think a machine could contain so much personality."

Dell chuckled, looking it over. "Yeah, it's funny, ain’t it? The three Conagher men each designing one? It's a little strange to look back on it, honestly. I only wore it for a year or so."

He'd been grateful to finally have a functioning arm again, but it had been frustrating too, at first. It wasn't flexible enough, it didn't have the control that Dell wanted, needed. Comparatively, the gunslinger was delicate, but strong. It had been carefully designed to weigh the same as his other arm, so it wasn't too heavy or too light; Dell remembered Radigan's posture changing as he aged, slowly pulling down on the side of his heavy claw-like gunslinger. And the gunslinger his father had designed had been too light, and the lack of weight had been a frustrating adjustment.

He put his gunslinger on Spy's leg. He loved that René understood how important it was to him, that he could see it for what it was; not just a weapon, but an extension of Dell, a real part of him.

Pyro let them have their moment before continuing to look through the photos. It was clear that by this point in the album that Pyro had their own camera. A lot of the pictures were of Dell; studying, designing, building, spending time with other students, even sleeping. The pictures of Pyro were often at arm's length, sometimes with Dell pressed in with them. Spy could quickly see them becoming the beautiful redhead from the photo he'd pocketed.

They were both getting older, into their twenties now. There were plenty of Pyro standing next to colourful portraits of themself, a few of them nudes.

Spy was charmed by the colourful art depicting his lover. Each piece revealed the artist's vision of the same body. Some artists made Pyro's hands and expression more delicate than possible for them. Some artists made Pyro womanly and sexual, and others almost captured the colourful chaos of their identity. "You were popular in University."

Pyro laughed, they loved the portraits. They'd really enjoyed modeling for the art students in college, and they'd spent a lot of time with the students studying photography as well. They'd learned a lot over the years, without ever taking a class themself. Dell had wanted them to take classes, but the college was not co-ed at that point, and they preferred to help Dell and do their own work as they pleased anyway. Besides, no class was going to allow them to build a flamethrower.

Next there was a photo of a blushing Dell next to a machine not unlike the one Spy had ridden on their first night together, though it was clearly an early design of it. Next was Dell with a few boys their age, a few of them clearly more than friends.

On the next set, Spy immediately understood what the machine was, and he was delighted to see Dell blushing in the photo. When Engineer first revealed the sex machine in his garage, he didn't seem too shy. It was good to see that there was a time when the erect toy, wet with lubrication, made the Texan's cheeks red. "You were popular also. For the correct audience." René glanced up curiously. "Did you ever do that?" He looked to the photo album and flipped through some pages, but none were pornographic. So he made his question clear, "Did you ever ride the fucking machine for an audience?" René smirked, glancing at either partner with interest that showed his hope.

Dell covered his mouth in amusement as Spy got to the picture of the fucking machine. He'd become much less shy about it once he'd had a few people on the machine and had gained a little confidence. "I might've," he said, suggestively.

He had, and he was also sure there were pictures somewhere of him doing just that. He'd have to get Pyro to find those eventually, he wasn't sure where they kept those kinds of photos.

" **He did** ," Pyro signed, their eyes smiling. " **But mostly it was other people**."

Every so often there was a picture of Dell wearing a flesh-coloured prosthetic over the gunslinger, his attempt to keep it from making people nervous. There were more of him with Pyro too, shot at more of a distance this time and not from Pyro's hand; their photography was changing too.

They were both very different at this age compared to now, they had none of the muscle or fierceness that they had now.

Dell was less muscular, and there was a softness to him, both in his body and his expression.

Pyro had changed even more. They had gone from long haired and thin, with wide hips, very obviously feminine and with a delicate face, to a muscular mercenary with a shaved head and a metal jaw.

It didn't bother Pyro the way it used to, looking back on these photos now. Before it had depressed them sometimes, to see how much they'd changed. But now, they found they didn't mind as much. They had just become who they were, and they liked how things were now.

The last photograph in the book was one of them together in bed, naked, their heads pressed together to fit in the picture as Pyro held the camera at arm's length. At this point, Dell was in his thirties, and Pyro was just a few years younger. It was one of the last pictures they had of themself before the accident.

Spy held the edge of the page with affection, "This is how I like to see you both. Naked in bed, well satisfied." He glanced to Pyro and winked. "Photos are nice, but nothing is better than seeing it first-hand."

Pyro, as the only naked one in the room, moved up to the pillows, putting the albums down as they went. " **I'm naked already, you two need to catch up** ,” they signed, once they were settled.

Dell laughed. Though a day ago he might not have thought he was ready to have sex with Spy again, he was sure now. The kiss last night had sealed it. He had forgiven René and the rift between them had healed. He stripped off his boxers, watching Spy.

Spy expected to flirt shamelessly and be refused, but when he looked to Dell and saw the man undressing, he filled with excitement.

René undressed without hurry. He removed his undershirt, and his briefs, and then his balaclava. The photos of his younger self reminded him of the feeling of a lover's lips on his naked skin. He folded the mask with one hand as he smoothed his hair and fluffed it. Satisfied, he slid his arms around both partners.


	41. Hearth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's the very end. 
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks everyone for all the comments and love, we both really appreciate it.
> 
> Our last art is by Wireskull.

So much changed since their last time in bed together. Pyro was comfortable to be completely naked, and seen. Their face was no longer hidden by a mask. It called for a change in routine. Spy's palm pressed Dell's back, encouraging him to move on top of his lean partner. His other hand held Pyro's head as he kissed them.

Dell smiled, happy to let Spy arrange him, though he had no idea what position the man had in mind. It was going to be interesting, sharing someone with Pyro, now that they were having sex with Spy. Seeing them naked, even seeing them orgasm, was nothing new, and he wasn't concerned about that side of it. He only hoped that they could find a good balance.

Dell hadn't had sex with more than one person in some time, and they had all been interested in each other, so it had been easier to find positions that satisfied them all.

He stroked his flesh and blood hand over René's chest, his gunslinger resting on the man's side.

Pyro had no thoughts for how they'd be positioned, they already felt a little fuzzy with pleasure. Kissing René had that effect. They let their hands wander over Spy, through his hair and down his neck, happy to touch and be touched.

The kiss turned into affection, gently rubbing his nose to Pyro's. He whispered, "Do you have your matches near?" René reluctantly let go of Pyro to let them get the matches.

As René predicted, Pyro was happy to grab their match box, giving it a little shake to hear the matches roll around inside. Spy had said before that their burns didn't look too scary. Maybe he'd let them put matches out on him this time!

In the brief moment he waited, he turned his attention to Dell. Pyro was an eager partner that responded to any request. Engineer was not a partner to be commanded—he liked to make his choices.

Spy wrapped a hand around their cocks together. His own was erect and excited, and Engineer's was joining him. He watched the thick cock in his hand grow thicker as he pumped it.

"What mood are you in, today. Will you ride me and let me be your audience? Or fuck me, and show me how you were so popular in University?" René purred lewdly.

Dell groaned as René stroked him, looking down on his handsome partner affectionately. He gave the European a little grin as he asked how he wanted to start. He loved the expression on René's face.

As much as he wanted Spy to fuck him, he was still far more comfortable fucking him. Since it had been awhile, and this was their first time since their separation, he thought it might be better to start with something more familiar. He moved back to kneel between René's thighs, stroking his hands over Spy's skin. "I'll let you fuck me next time, darlin'. Firebug, you wanna toss me the lube while you're over there?"

Pyro leaned back and grabbed the little bottle, passing it to Dell, who slicked his fingers and ran his fingertip over René's tight hole, watching his expression closely as he slowly began to press inward, taking his time.

They lit a match, not ready to put one out on Spy yet, not without more explicit permission, but happy to stub it out against their own thigh with a little whimper of pleasure.

René whined as Dell moved away and the cock slipped from his fingers. The feeling of it in his hand was exciting. He knew that if he was patient, he would feel it more intimately. Patience was key, however. The Texan seemed to enjoy preparing his partner as much as he enjoyed finally filling him up. This time was as René expected, one slick finger carefully opening him up and sliding into him.

The Frenchman watched Dell's face until his eyes unfocused, responding to the finger pressing firmly along his prostate.

Pyro's whimper got his attention and he looked to the redhead to watch smoke raise from the black, extinguished match. His fingertips grazed the hot red skin. There was a blister, to match the other healing blisters on Pyro's skin. The skin seemed to radiate heat, as if it had absorbed the fire. "One who plays with fire can expect to be burned. It's time that I feel the burn, no?" Spy suggested, although it was truly an invitation to use the matches.

As Dell worked René open, adding a second finger and stroking over his prostate again, he watched Pyro light up with excitement. Dell was glad they had someone to burn again.

Pyro went to the headboard, taking up their familiar position, cradling Spy's head on their lap and lighting another match. With only a second of hesitation, watching Spy's expression to make sure he hadn't changed his mind.

Spy continued to tug at his own cock in slow, careless motions, simply to toy with himself while melting under Dell's attention.

René followed Pyro with his eyes and nodded to confirm he was ready. If he let himself become any more ready, he might think too much about it and scare himself away from trying it.

They pressed the fiery tip to Spy's shoulder, turning it against his skin until there was a black ashy mark there.

Spy's immediate response was to gasp sharply. His body squeezed tightly around Dell's body and his lean legs squeezed the body separating them. He moaned deeply as he worked through the bright burning pain to the radiating heat.

René's body relaxed around Dell's fingers, more open than before. It was a true indication that his body responded with excitement, not fear. He glanced at his shoulder when the match was removed, humming quietly at the dark ash mark. "It's better than I thought." The pain was still slowly giving away to become euphoria, but the adrenaline rush was coming quickly and feeding his excitement.

Dell felt René tighten with the burn and stilled until he relaxed again. Now Spy was truly opening up to him and he spread his fingers, working them in and out of his lover. It wouldn't be long now before he was ready.

Pyro watched Spy's reaction with excitement, their eyes bright with arousal and the reflection of the next lit match. René loved it, they could tell; his sounds splayed those peacock colours across their vision and they made a soft sound of happiness. They could feel themself becoming wet, heat lighting them up from the inside. After waiting for another nod, they pressed the head of the match to his other shoulder, making a matching burn on the other side.

Spy's body flexed tightly again. The sharp gasp was followed by a deep moan. The tight muscles made Dell's spreading fingers feel so firm and filling. René squirmed on Dell's fingers as he pushed through the intense pain of the burn to the warm glow. His hand stroked his cock with more intention now. The lazy movements became fluid and quick with the more excited he became.

René sighed, "More." Though he did not clarify to whom he was speaking. Perhaps both partners.

After René relaxed again, Dell was sure he could take him. He lubed his cock and grabbed René's thighs, pulling him just a little closer. He held his cock as he guided it into his lover's body, slowly. He couldn't wait to feel Spy tighten like that again with the next match.

"There you go," he groaned, stroking his hands over Spy's hips.

Pyro couldn't resist the next match. They pressed the little flame gently to their chest, dragging it down to their navel with a shudder, head tipping back. They gave a wordless sound of pleasure.

Dell pulled Spy just a bit too far away and they had to slide forward to keep René's head on their thighs. They struck the emery again and this match was for Spy. They ground it out in the center of his chest, tossing the used match towards the ashtray, not really caring if they hit it. They could clean up afterwards. After Spy came down from the pain, they stroked their fingers around his burns, parting them just enough to not touch the blackened blisters.

Spy arched off the bed, his weight entirely on his bum in Dell's lap, and his head in Pyro's lap. René stared up at Pyro's body and watched. The flame licked hairless skin between soft breasts, down to a muscular stomach. It was close enough to burn a pink trail on their flesh, without extinguishing until the very end.

The Frenchman's intense stare faltered when Dell pulled him down fully onto the cock inside him. He started to groan, delighted by the feeling of fullness. The fire touched his chest and the combination of pain and pleasure overwhelmed his mind completely. His mind could no longer separate the individual sensations of euphoria, and glowing warmth, and penetration, and now fire. It felt instead like red-hot erogenous pleasure on the surface of his skin. René screamed in response, the same deep call of pleasure during his first night on the fucking machine. He couldn't stifle himself, although an attempt was made—he put his free hand firmly over his mouth.

Pyro's world was bright with the colours of Spy's scream, iridescent like vibrantly coloured feathers. They hadn't expected this kind of noise out of Spy unless he was on Dell's machine again. They adored it. Matches were completely overwhelming for them, and it seemed like they did the same for Spy.

Grinning at René's responsive reactions, Dell gripped him a little harder, digging in his fingernails. Though his pace had been slow at first, now he was pounding into him. The match being stubbed out on Spy's skin sent a tension through his whole body and Dell hummed his enjoyment as René tightened around his cock.

"You get so tight," he groaned.

Pyro had a wicked idea and slid a lit match between their thigh and the back of René's shoulder, letting the friction between their skin put the flame out, but keeping the hot ember there. They did the same on the other side. They found symmetry pleasing when it came to marks and scars. Their thighs shook a little under Spy with the heat that burned between them, moaning aloud with the intense, white-hot pain that gave way to an elation unlike any other. They left the matches there, stroking their blackened fingertips over Spy, over scars and tattoos as well as his soft, unmarked skin.

Dell's smooth Texan accent excited the Spy. He stared up at Pyro, wishing they would speak also. Although their whimpers from pleasure were so expressive, speaking wasn't necessary.

René watched a new match lowered down behind him. He bit the meat of his hand as he anticipated the burn, and he squeezed Engineer's length inside him. When the hot match was trapped between Pyro and Spy, he bit his hand to stifle the screams.

Despite how far the relationship developed since his first night on the fucking machine, Spy still resisted letting his partners see him fully undone: screaming unhindered in excitement and pleasure.

After the heat from the second match dulled, Spy released his cock and gripped Dell's calloused hand. It was firm and rough, but better than the gunslinger for _une branlette_. He pulled the hand to his groin and gasped, "Please, I'm so close."

Dell was quick to catch Spy's meaning, taking his lover's cock in his hand and stroking. His own thrusts were hard and fast, his gunslinger holding onto René's thigh to keep him close. His moans came out unhindered, he was completely open and didn't hold himself back.

Before Pyro's eyes, a mix of their pleasurable sounds mixed into purple and gold, even through Spy's muffling of his noises. Streaks of Spy's other colours lit up through the world like sparks. Spy had never been this loud for so long and they adored it. They waited a moment longer before lighting the last match. They wanted René to cum at the same time as they put it out against his skin.

René arched his back to press himself down onto the cock pounding him. He melted from the grip on his thigh, the fast rhythm, and the matching rhythm on his own cock. He watched the lit match between Pyro's fingers and the anticipation was dizzying. His skin burned in a wonderful way, waiting for the fire and not knowing if it was meant for himself or Pyro.

Watching Spy's face redden, feeling his body shudder in their lap, they ground it out just under the burn in the middle of his chest.

Spy fisted his hand and bit his knuckles, he forced down screams to groan with satisfaction instead. It was clear when he reached his peak, by closing his eyes and breathing in deeply.

The fire on his chest pushed him over the edge. René's mouth fell open and his head stretched back, abandoning the hand he used to muffle himself. He screamed while his cock throbbed in Dell's hand, and screamed louder still as he released his seed over his own stomach. It was clear he liked the burns, despite how they made him scream, as he arched his body up to the match. His body was as rigid inside as it was outside, and every muscle closed around Dell and squeezed him from his base to his tip.

Spy's scream trailed off to silence as his breath left him, but his body remained in place, frozen in the afterglow and silently screaming and pressing into the match and pushing down into Dell's lap.

When he finally did relax, he melted down to the bed limp, like a puddle. His arms tangled in the sheets and his head turned to rest completely in Pyro's lap.

Dell's sounds weren't held back in the slightest and he gave a loud cry. René was so tight, so perfect around him, and then when the match finally touched his skin, his muscles spasmed tighter and Dell couldn't hold himself back anymore. He released deep inside René.

Everything lit up with colour; not just René's, but Dell's too as they both came. Pyro's eyes were hardly focused, their breaths coming fast. Once René had fallen back into the bed, clearly finished, they pulled the now-cool match off him, removing the two matches between their thighs and Rene’s shoulders as well and tossing them in the ashtray.

Dell finally pulled out and rolled to the side so he wouldn't put too much weight on René when he collapsed. He was laughing softly, still breathing hard. He kissed René's shoulder, close to one of his burns.

"Amazing," he praised, barely able to get even that word out.

Slowly, the colours faded. Lighting another match, Pyro pressed it into the soft skin of their inner wrist with a whine. Matches on top of scar tissue always hurt more, which they thought seemed backwards. It was clear by the scars there that the inside of their wrist was a favourite spot. It was hard to heal, but very sensitive. Their thighs trembled under Spy again.

René was resting his eyes, but far from sleep. He was completely drunk from the pleasure and endorphins and simply lost in it. He smiled at the kiss on his shoulder and purred, "I never experienced something so intense."

Spy rolled to the side without leaving Pyro's lap. He kissed a fresh blister on their thigh and hummed at the smooth texture and radiating heat on his lips. "I didn't forget about you, _ma luciole_." He murmured to the skin, "Are you close?" While he gave attention to Pyro, a hand drifted further to Dell to hold his metal hand.

Dell's lips curved into a smile at René's expression. He looked blissful, and Dell was sure his own expression was similar. He felt Spy's fingers twine in with the gunslinger's and he gave an incredibly gentle squeeze to acknowledge him.

Spy and Dell pressed together like that gave Pyro a little glow. They were so happy to see that the two of them had moved on from their fight, to see them enjoying their afterglow together. And this time, they weren't restricted to a blindfolded Spy or being in their suit. It would be far less frustrating.

They gave a quick nod, still coming down from the last burn to their wrist. They were practically floating, everything seemed distant until the fire touched their skin and brought them back into their body forcefully.

Spy took his hand from Dell to take a lighter from the nightstand. His movements were slow and graceful, but not useless. René turned on the lighter and watched the small glowing flame. He moved to face Pyro and kiss the other fresh burn on their thigh. He let the fire barely graze Pyro's hip and trail up. The fire followed a path that normally his lips would make on a lover's skin.

Pyro's head tipped back against the headboard and they shivered with excitement. The kiss against the pale red burn brought a whimper out of them, and once the fire began to lick along their skin they let out a moan. They'd taken a match out of the box, ready to light, but now they were quickly losing the coordination to be able to light it. The shook slightly under Spy's attentions, their eyes unfocused as they were brought closer and closer to the edge.

Spy somewhat wondered if the Pyro even needed the sexual contact most people needed to find sexual completion. The way Pyro whimpered and mewled, he wondered if the fire was their erogenous zone. He raised a brow to watch Pyro's face as he played his tongue over the fresh burn. The fire that barely touched Pyro's skin finally made contact as he stroked it along the underside of their breast to their nipple.

They gave a loud cry, arching up into the fire excitedly. Now that Spy had taken over with the lighter, they let the match fall to the sheets. They spread their thighs enough to begin working a finger in themself, giving little, breathy gasps. Their body was held tight, tense. It was clear they were close.

Spy smirked but did not stop his attention to the burn mark. His free hand followed Pyro's and he added two fingers. René followed the motions of his partner and simply appreciated the warmth that squeezed him. He watched with delight, knowing Pyro was on the edge now and happy to help them with the flame from the lighter.

Pyro’s breath stopped entirely for a few seconds as Spy’s fingers opened them up further, and the fire blackened their skin with the residue of the smoke.

They came with a final gasp, their free hand grabbing at René’s shoulder. Again, their synesthesia went wild as they came with Spy’s attentions. As they tightened around both their fingers, the walls around them seemed to ripple, each ripple bleeding out more colour. The visions were very attached to reality and it was a strange effect. Insects seemed to come to life from the floor, all brightly iridescent and beautiful, flying up and swirling above them until their body relaxed. They slowly caught their breath, gasping and breathing hard, waiting for the rest of the insects to disappear. They bowed over René just far enough to press their lips to his, feeling almost drunk.

Spy carefully withdrew their entangled fingers and leaned into the kiss.

He enjoyed the closeness to his partners for a long moment then finally sighed, "I should make you breakfast now, I suppose. It is the least I can do, considering how you spoil me." René stood up and dressed himself.

He finished smoothing his hair down, putting on his mask, and lighting a cigarette. Very composed, no one would guess how utterly unraveled his two partners could make him.

Engineer listened for the door, but did not follow him out. Instead he looked to Pyro with a satisfied smirk. One hand rested on his chest and the other rested on Pyro's leg. It was intimate and loving but not sexual. "Are we waiting here for breakfast in bed, Firebug? Or are you thinking it's time to 'meet' the team?"

Pyro considered. There was not likely to be a better time to reveal themself, and they wanted to do it eventually. Why not today? They'd have Dell and René there to support them. The team might still struggle to understand them talking, but at least they'd know why. And this way they'd seem more human to their teammates, less of an unknown.

They signed and spoke together, **"Let's go out."**

****

 


End file.
